New Delhi, Dec 10 (IANS) A discussion in the Rajya Sabha on the Liberhan Commission’s report suddenly came alive at its fag end Thursday with the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) objecting to a junior minister speaking on the issue as he was not a member of the house.
Order was restored after Deputy Chairman K. Rahman Khan quoted from the rule book to say that the minister could speak even though he was a member of the Lok Sabha.

The BJP’s Najma Heptullah, herself a former deputy chairman, protested immediately after Khan called on Minister of State for Tourism Sultan Ahmed (Trinamool Congress) to address the house.

“He can’t speak. He can only make an intervention,” Heptullah maintained as other BJP MPs too joined the protest.

“The rule is quite clear. A minister can speak even if he is not a member of the house but can’t vote,” Khan pointed out.

In the midst of this, Kamal Akhtar of the Samajwadi Party advanced threateningly towards the chairman’s podium but the BJP’s S.S. Ahluwalia immediately blocked him and pushed him back to his backbench seat.

“This is not the way, coming and threatening the chair,” Khan contended.

Akhtar later apologised, saying: ” I am sorry for my conduct. I got emotional because of the discussions and couldn’t control myself.”