Parliament was today repeatedly disrupted as Congress created uproar over the "alarming" developments in Arunachal Pradesh, alleging efforts to "destabilise" its government there and targeting the central government which asserted that it had no role in it.
Congress members also staged a walkout from Lok Sabha while alleging "murder of democracy" and "constitutional crisis" in the state. Some other parties like JD(U) and Left supported their contention.
The main opposition party forced repeated adjournments of Rajya Sabha and ensured its early adjournment for the day with its members continuously raising slogans in the Well.
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In the Lok Sabha, the matter was raised by Leader of Congress Mallikarjun Kharge said who said there was a "constitutional crisis" in Arunachal Pradesh and accused the BJP of creating a divide among the Congress MLAs in the state.
"What is happening in Arunachal Pradesh in undemocratic, unconstitutional. They are killing democracy, destroying democracy...," Kharge said.
He made a scathing attack on the role of the Governor but Deputy Speaker M Thambidurai ordered that all remarks against the Governor should be expunged.
"Congress has two-third MLAs, 47 MLAs in the legislative assembly... This government is behaving in a way such that they divide the Congress... They have removed the Speaker... They want to form government in the state," Kharge alleged.
"Few days back Prime Minister (Narendra Modi) has said 'D' stands for disruption. But here 'D' stands for destroying democracy," Kharge said following which Congress staged a walk out from the House.
Parliamentary Affairs Minister Venkaiah Naidu said "there is no role of the Central Government. Yesterday the Chief Minister went to meet the Governor for discussions, but there they accused and abused the Governor. They are bringing shame.
"They have locked the Assembly, surprising things are happening. You may quit if you don't have majority. You cannot discuss the conduct of the Governor... Decision of Governor cannot be questioned. They are abusing Governor and accusing the Government, this is not acceptable... If they have any problem they should go to the Court," Naidu said.
He said the Governor has "acted within the Constitution and he has been informing the President (of the happenings)".
Naidu also attacked Congress for disrupting the Question
House and said the party was bringing adjournment motions even on such topics like 'Tourism in Bihar'. "There should be seriousness, let us respect the Chair and the House".
"Every time they create uproar in the House, they give such slogans 'Loktantra ki hatya ho raha hai' (murder of democracy), who is murdering?... They take the name of the Prime Minister... This is not right," Naidu said.
In the Rajya Sabha, which was paralysed, the issue was raised by Leader of Opposition Ghulam Nabi Azad who said it has never happened in the history of India that a Deputy Speaker of Assembly removes the Speaker and that too not in the Assembly, but from a makeshift venue.
"Can another Assembly be created...This is an alarm bell ...Not only for one state, but for all regional parties," he said, adding that the assembly was being run from "someone's drawing room".
"This is very alarming," Azad said, who along with some other members had given a notice on the issue.
Deputy Chairman P J Kurien said the notices were being examined by the Chairman Hamid Ansari and added that it was "not proper" to discuss the role of a Governor in the House.
"Knowingly, unknowingly you are criticising the Governor ...That is my problem. Once the motion is admitted, we can discuss," Kurien said and asked members not to criticise the Governor till then.
Sitaram Yechury (CPI-M) said the developments in Arunchal Pradesh were "anti-democratic".
Azad said on one hand, the government was seeking Opposition cooperation in running of the House, on the other it was 'dislodging' an elected state government.
Sharad Yadav (JU-U) said it was not the first time that the Arunchal Pradesh issue has been raised in the House. "This is an alarming siutation. The (Centre) should have acted immediately," he said.
Kurien said anything against the Governor would be expunged from the records.
As the House started taking up special mentions, Congress members trooped into the Well raising slogans like 'We want justice', and 'Modi's dictatorship will not be allowed'. They also shouted slogans like "Killing of democracy will not be allowed in Arunachal" and "Killing of Constitution will not be allowed in Arunachal".
At noon, Chairman Hamid Ansari asked the slogan-shouting
members to return to their seats and allow the Question Hour to go on, but the unrelenting members continued with their protest, forcing an adjournment for 30 minutes.
When the House re-assembled, Azad again rose to raise the Arunachal issue but was disallowed by Ansari who said it was the members' right to ask questions and they should not disrupt the proceedings.
"Don't deprive them of their right to ask questions," he said, asking members to take to their seats.
Protesting Congress members were initially standing in the aisles raising slogans, but later entered the Well, forcing Ansari to adjourn the House till 2 PM.
When the House met again, the Deputy Chairman took up discussion on the Scheduled Castes and the Scheduled Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities) Amendment Bill, 2015, but the slogan-shouting by Congress members protesting on the Arunachal issue continued unabated.
"You have agreed that the Bill will be passed," Kurien told the protestors and asked why were they not letting it be passed today.
Deputy leader of Congress Anand Sharma replied that while the party was committed to the passage of the Bill, which it had repeatedly asserted, it could not happen today.
Referring to the Arunachal Pradesh issue, Sharma said his party was compelled because the Centre is "destablising an elected government in a sensitive border state." It is an assault on the Constitution, he added.
However, despite the Congress stance, Kurien proceeded with the discussion on the Bill as several Congress members reached the Well of House shouting slogans like "we want justice."
Amidst the din, AIADMK member K R Arjunan expressed his support for the legislation while proposing some changes.
Throughout, the Congress members kept shouting slogans, prompting Naqvi to remark in a lighter vein that the government had arranged some good medicines for the protesting members whose throats have gone hoarse.
As no respite from the chaos appeared imminent, Kurien adjourned the House till 3 PM.
