Cong refuses to join probe into RS ruckus

It (the probe panel)will not only suppress the voices of the people’s representatives but... brush aside all those that are uncomfortable to the govt MALLIKARJUN KHARGE, RS LoP

NEW DELHI: The Congress Party wrote to Rajya Sabha chairperson M Venkaiah Naidu on Thursday, saying it won't nominate a representative to a proposed inquiry committee being set up to investigate ruckus that rocked the Upper House in the final hours of the monsoon session on August 11.

In a letter to Naidu, Congress MP and Rajya Sabha leader of Opposition, Mallikarjun Kharge, said the investigation committee seemed like a “design to intimidate MPs into silence”.

“It will not only suppress the voices of the people’s representatives but deliberately brush aside all those that are uncomfortable to the government,” Kharge wrote in the letter, a copy of which is with HT. “I am, therefore, unequivocally against constituting the enquiry committee and the question of a party proposing the name of a member from a party for nomination to this committee does not arise,” the letter added. On August 11, in the dying hours of the disruption-hit monsoon session, some opposition MPs clashed with the marshals when the general insurance amendment bill was cleared amid furious protests. At least two marshals submitted a written account of their injuries to the chairperson. Two women MPs of the Congress, Phulo Devi and Chayya Varma, alleged they were manhandled that broke out on the floor of the House.

An internal Rajya Sabha secretariat report later said opposition MPs tore papers, obstructed ministers from taking their seats, choked and suffocated one marshal, dragged and pushed another, took videos and even climbed on a LED TV stand.

The Opposition denied these charges and blamed the government for the unruly scenes in the House. They said outsiders were brought into the House who used force and physically manhandled members.

Naidu later proposed a committee to examine the complaints and the ruckus that took place and said he was “deeply pained” by the incident.

The government blamed the Opposition for disrupting Parliament, deviating from Parliamentary procedure and damaging house property despite the assurance that discussion on issues raised by the Opposition will be taken up. But in his letter on Thursday, Kharge underlined that the government not only brushed aside the opposition parties’ demand for discussion, but also rushed through crucial bills and policies, which could potentially have a grave and adverse effects on India.

He pointed out that his party gave multiple notices under the rules of procedure, hoping to have constructive deliberations on the state of India’s economy, farmers protest, inflation, rise in prices of petrol and diesel and other essential commodities, unemployment, border tensions with China, the Pegasus snooping row and the Rafale defence deal, among a host of national issues. He also alleged that the government did not heed the Opposition’s demands to send crucial bills for further scrutiny to select committees.

“It (government) also bypassed standing committees, and refused to have any meaningful discussion on bills, policies and issues. Additionally, senior ministers were largely absent from Parliament while opposition MPs were suspended. In doing so, the government undermined the sovereignty of Parliament,” the letter says.

At least two MPs from Communist Party of India and the Trinamool Congress said they were asked to send representatives to the proposed committee.