March 5, 2008 Ansari's Decision on
SP Blows Up
- and Blows Over
New Delhi
Rajya Sabha Chairman Hamid Ansari's decision to refer some Samajwadi
Party (SP) MPs to the privileges committee for disrupting the house
led to repeated adjournments Wednesday. But tempers cooled when
Parliamentary Affairs Minister Priya Ranjan Dasmunsi intervened to
arrange a meeting of party leaders.
SP members had come prepared Wednesday to take up the issue and
began shouting slogans, leading to three adjournments during
question hour. They said they had been singled out and this affected
their honour as members of the house.
Dasmunsi then intervened and hastily arranged a meeting of party
leaders at which Janata Dal-United (JD-U) leader and party president
Sharad Yadav justified the behaviour of the SP members.
When the house reassembled at 12 noon, Dasmunsi rose to defend the
honour of all members. He told the chairman: "I respect your ruling
and we are always bound by your ruling. But I again say that I am
with all the honourable members and I am here to defend the honour
of each and every member.
"I hope you shall find some time this evening and I will cooperate
to defend the honour of all the members," the minister added.
SP general secretary Amar Singh eventually buried the hatchet saying
that members "when they are in the opposition resort to agitations"
like stalling the house proceedings.
While appreciating Dasmunsi's intervention, he also thanked other
leaders, particularly Sharad Yadav.
He said: "Sharad Yadav has pointed out in the meeting that when we
don't get an opportunity to articulate our grievances about the
problems facing the country such incidents do take place. That does
not mean any of us is any the less respectful of the house or the
chair than anyone else.
"I am thankful that our grievances will be addressed in the evening
meeting," Amar Singh added.
Ansari had referred to the privileges committee a complaint by
Congress MP Santosh Bargodia that his privilege as a member was
denied when he was not allowed to ask listed questions because of
disruptions.
Some other members including former Lok Sabha Speaker Somnath
Chatterjee and Shiv Sena leader Manohar Joshi had endorsed
Bargodia's plea.
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