Thaindian News

New Delhi, March 8 (IANS) A historic bill that promises to reserve 33 percent of legislative seats for women was moved in the Rajya Sabha, the upper house of Indian parliament, amid unruly scenes as a dozen members opposing it tore up the document and hurled them at chairman Hamid Ansari.
This happened on a day when both houses assembled to calls to “celebrate and honour women” and include them in the decision making process to mark the International Day of Women being observed worldwide.

The controversial bill - for which the ruling United Progress Alliance (UPA) has support of numbers from the opposition Bhartiya Janata Party (BJP) and the Communists but is opposed by some northern regional parties - forced repeated disruptions of the two houses of parliament as protesting members created a ruckus in the Rajya Sabha.

The upper house was adjourned for the fourth time at 3 p.m. when members assembled for a discussion over the legislation.

There are indications that a brief discussion will take place in the Rajya Sabha after the house resumes at 4 p.m. It is likely to be put to vote at around 6 p.m.

Earlier, following violent scenes, a visibly agitated chairman adjourned the house till 3 p.m. soon after Law Minister M. Veerapa Moily moved the table for consideration and passage.

As soon as the chairman asked the minister to move the bill, MPs from the Samajwadi Party (SP), Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) and the Lok Janshakti Party (LJP) started shouting slogans and moving towards Ansari’s podium. By that time, Moily had already moved the bill.

Angry, the protesting MPs created a ruckus and snatched the bill from him and tore it into shreds. Rolling them into balls, some of the MPs flung them all around. Some torn papers were thrown at the chairman.

Nand Kishore Yadav of the SP tried to climb up to the chairman’s desk but was prevented by a marshal.

Subhash Yadav of the RJD was seen attempting to assault the parliament secretary general who was seated below the chairman’s podium.

This was the third adjournment of the house Monday.

When the house reassembled at noon after an earlier adjournment, SP members raised slogans. In the event, no one could hear Deputy Chairman K. Rehman.

Minister for Women and Child Development Krishna Tirath read out a statement on International Women’s Day.

The protesting MPs first demanding a discussion on the reports of the National Commission for Religious and Linguistic Minorities headed by Justice (retd) Ranganath Misra that favours job quotas for Dalit Muslims and Dalit Christians.

The chair ruled this out saying no notice had been served for the debate. As a handful of SP members advanced menacingly towards the presiding officer, the house was adjourned till 2 p.m.

Earlier, when the house assembled at 11 a.m., Ansari read out a message on International Women’s Day saying that among others “women have to be included in the decision making process”.