Dispense with Question Hour: Ansari

Upset with the repeated disruptions of the crucial Question Hour, Rajya Sabha chairman Hamid Ansari on Tuesday said that as “members do not attach much importance to it, it should be dispensed with.”

The Question Hour has for the past week, has fallen prey to sloganeering and disruptions first on the SC/ST quota Bill and since Monday, over the Walmart lobbying issue. Ansari alternatively proposed that this dedicated hour from 11 am to noon, which was designated as the Question Hour, could be shifted to another part of the day. He said he would be calling meeting of the Rules Committee to discuss the matter with members on Wednesday.

When repeated requests to the Opposition benches to ‘sit down’ were not heeded, an angushed Ansari stood up and said, “A situation has arisen in which the Chair has to watch helplessly, disruption of the Question Hour very frequently.”

He then made the proposal to dispense with the Question Hour. “Since members don’t seem to attach very great importance to the questions being answered, the Question Hour be dispensed with altogether.”