Rajya Sabha stalemate over names in bulletin resolved

The stalemate in the Rajya Sabha over some opposition members having been named in a house bulletin for violation of rules was resolved Thursday after the chair said that the matter will be reconsidered.

Part II of the Rajya Sabha parliamentary bulletin of Aug 7 named 20 BJP members and two of the TDP for violating the rules by advancing to the chairman's podium. The bulletin of Aug 6 named two TDP members and that of Aug 5 named two members of the TDP and one of the Bodoland People's Front.

Part II of the bulletin contains general information for members. It is issued even during the inter-session period when information has to be conveyed to members.

The bulletin's part I contains brief details of the proceedings.

As soon as the upper house met in the morning, Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader M. Venkaiah Naidu raised the issue, accusing the government of bias as Congress MPs who allegedly violated the rules were not named.

"Why this discrimination? What is the rule? Naming of members of one party and showing discrimination (against others) is not acceptable," he said.

His colleague Arun Jaitley also raised objections and urged the chair to reconsider the naming of members.

Chairman Hamid Ansari said the issue could be discussed in his chamber, to which the opposition did not agree. BJP members then walked out.

AIADMK leader V. Maitreyan also pointed out that Congress member Govardhan Reddy quarrelled with the two TDP members near the chairman's podium, and Renuka Chowdhary went to stop him. Why was he not named, Maitreyan asked.

Shiv Sena and AIADMK members then trooped out of the house.

The TDP members continued their protest despite repeated pleas from the chair. Amid the din, the house was adjourned till noon.

When it reassembled, the BJP members stayed away. Opposition members raised slogans asking the government not to gag them.

As the din continued, the Rajya Sabha was adjourned till 12.30 p.m. and then till 2 p.m.

As the house met at 2 p.m., Bharatiya Janata Party members were not on their seats.

Parliamentary Affairs Minister Kamal Nath said members expressed anguish over names appearing in part II of the bulletin.

"I talked to some members. I appeal to the chair that matter be reconsidered in the light of sentiments of members of the house," Kamal Nath said.

"This is a new practice. Members were not aware of this practice," he added.

Deputy Chairman P.J. Kurien, who was in the chair, said the matter will be reconsidered.

"In view of what the minister has said and anguish expressed the matter will be reconsidered," Kurien said.

Kamal Nath said that the chairman may consult political parties on ways for orderly proceedings of the house.

Kurien said opposition was equally important in a democracy and if it was not present in the house, there was no meaning.

As Kurien was speaking, BJP members came to the house and took their seats. Minister of State for Parliamentary Affairs Rajeev Shukla accompanied the BJP members.

Part II of the Aug 7 bulletin said that "the chair adjourned the house due to gross disorderly conduct in violation of rules and etiquettes of Rajya Sabha by the following members who entered the well and persistently and willfully obstructed the proceedings."

The BJP MPs named were Jagat Prakash Nadda, Parshottam Khodabhai Rupala, Avinash Rai Khanna, Smriti Zubin Irani, Dharmendra Pradhan, V.P. Singh Badnore, Om Prakash Mathur, Bharatsinh Prabhatsinh Parmar, Bhupender Yadav, Natuji Halaji Thakor, Dilipbhai Pandya, Bhushanlal Jangde, Prabhakar Kore, Tarun Vijay, Faggan Singh Kulaste, Rangasayee Ramakrishna, Nand Kumar Sai, Maya Singh, Mansukh L. Mandaviya and Shankarbhai N. Vegad.

The TDP members included Y.S. Chowdary and C.M. Ramesh.

BJP leader Smriti Irani earlier said her name in the Rajya Sabha bulletin for violation of rules was like a "badge of honour".

"In the...house, I raised a slogan saying Pakistan 'murdabad'," Irani said.

"If that is a violation of etiquette, I take it as a badge of honour," she said.