Parliament Uproar: Govt Says Opposition 'Threatened Us, Hurt Marshal', Seeks Apology

The Centre on Thursday asked the opposition leaders to apologise for throwing rulebook at Rajya Sabha Chair and standing atop tables right below where the Speaker sits. Union minister Anurag Thakur, during a press conference, accused the Opposition of having planned to disrupt the monsoon session of Parliament since day one. Prahlad Joshi said that the leaders tried to break open the door and injured a woman marshal.

“Then one MP climbed onto the table. The lawmakers seem to be proud of their actions. They even shot videos which is not allowed. We were threatened that if we tried to pass any bill after the OBC bill then we will witness something worse,” Joshi added. He further demanded an action against the erring MPs, “strict enough so that something like this is never repeated”.

Hitting out at the Congress-led United Progressive Alliance government, the ministers said they passed 18 bills in a rush during their regime. The UPA was in power from 2004 to 2014. The government reply came in response to the opposition’s allegation that it passed the bills without any discussion in the Parliament.

Earlier in the day, an urgent meeting of floor leaders of Opposition parties in Rajya Sabha and Lok Sabha will be held on Thursday in the Chamber of Leader of Opposition at 10 am. The meeting is to discuss the incidents that happened in Rajya Sabha on Wednesday followed by a protest at the Gandhi statue.

Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla expressed pain that the House did not run smoothly during the Monsoon session amid the opposition’s ruckus over several issues. Addressing the media after the House was adjourned sine die (for an indefinite period), he said members holding placards, raising slogans in the Well of Lok Sabha was not in accordance with its traditions.

Lok Sabha functioned only 21 hours during the entire Monsoon session and its productivity was at 22 per cent, Birla said.

Meanwhile, Rajya Sabha Chairman Venkaiah Naidu broke down as he spoke about the ruckus by Opposition MPs, even while Naidu was speaking, slogans were continuously raised over various issues. Naidu said the ‘sacredness’ of the House was destroyed, adding he could not sleep last night.

Here are the Live updates of Parliament-related Ruckus

7:30 AM: Opposition leaders to meet today at 10 am followed by a protest at the Gandhi statue.

– TMC MP Derek O’Brien accuses government of bulldozing Insurance Bill.

11:00 AM:

Opposition demands repulsion of farm laws, march towards Vijay Chowk from Parliament.

11:30 AM: “I don’t want to blame anybody but House must function. All seniors leaders of both sides must come together to run the parliament proceedings in the upcoming session in November,” said Former PM & Janata Dal-Secular(JDS) president HD Deve Gowda.

12:00 PM: Sambit Patra comments on opposition’s protests, says it’s unfortunate how Congress & other Opposition parties are protesting on road. “Democracy has been shamed. I would say that not just VP Venkaiah Naidu cried but democracy also cried,” he said.

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