Thaindian News

New Delhi, May 5 (IANS) Alleged fake police gunbattles in Gujarat and other parts of India and an intemperate remark by Congress MP Mani Shankar Aiyar stalled Rajya Sabha proceedings Wednesday, forcing two adjournments of the house.
The house was first adjourned at 11.40 for 20 minutes following noisy protests by the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) against alleged fake gunbattles and then till 2 p.m. as party MPs demanded an apology from Aiyar.

They also wanted the leader of the house, Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, to provide an explanation for Aiyar’s remarks Monday terming the Leader of Opposition Arun Jaitley and BJP leader M. Venkiah Naidu as “fascists”.

The trouble arose when Home Minister P. Chidambaram was replying to reports of alleged fake police gunbattles in the national capital. BJP members, led by Rajiv Pratap Rudy, sought to widen the scope of the question to other parts of the country.

“The question is on Delhi Police. He (Chidambarm) may have all the answers. But this is not the time for this,” Chairman Hamid Ansari told the agitating members.

“The home minister is ready to give a response. Let him do so,” countered the BJP’s S.S. Ahluwalia but Ansari refused to accede to this.

“Why are you expanding the scope of the question?” Ansari shot back.

“I am not expanding the scope of the question. He (Chidambaram) is competent enough to give an answer,” Ahluwalia retorted as BJP members led by Vinaykumar Rupani and Rudra Narayan Pany advanced towards the speaker’s podium.

Ahluwalia, however, pushed them back but the BJP members continued to stand at their places, shouting “Jawab de (Give a reply)”, prompting a disgusted Ansari to remark: “I’m afraid this is disgraceful behaviour.”

Failing to restore order, Ansari adjourned the house till 12 noon.

When the house reassembled, Venkiah Naidu raised the issue of Aiyar’s remarks as he had done so when the house first assembled for the day.

“Have we become so helpless that if someone goes against the rules and makes abusive remarks, we say what can we do?” he asked. “We may have political differences but if you abuse and misuse your position, what is the remedy?”

“The chair works according to the rules. The remarks have been deleted,” said Deputy Chairman K. Rahman Khan. But this did not satisfy Ahluwalia, who said in a raised voice: “Let the leader of the house come and explain.”

Khan explained: “The chair can ask a member to withdraw. Remarks can be deleted but the chair can’t ask a member to apologise.”

As Prakash Javadekar and other BJP members advanced towards the speaker’s podium, Khan adjourned the house till 2 p.m.