Naidu stops telecast of RS proceedings
NEW DELHI: Noisy scenes created by TDP members in the Rajya Sabha seeking special category status for Andhra Pradesh on Monday saw a visibly upset Chairman M Venkiah Naidu ordering stoppage of telecast of proceedings for about 15 minutes saying “only voice will go; noise will not go”.
Though the members of the Telugu Desam Party had trooped into the Well during the Question Hour raising slogans in support of their demands, the proceedings continued with Ministers replying to the listed queries.
The TDP had earlier forced an adjournment of proceedings in the Upper House soon after it had assembled for the day.
As TDP MPS YS Chowdhary and CM Ramesh raised the issue, the Chairman said he has already told them their notice “has been admitted, it is coming up tomorrow.”
He, however, said that the debate was not permissible under Rule 168. “You know the system. Sense of the House is that House should function and take up business as slated.”
Asking the agitating members to return to their seats, Naidu said; “I have only two options -- whether I run the House like this or adjourn the House”. But as the ruckus continued, he said “nothing else (apart from listed proceedings) will go on record...please take note, neither the electronic media, nor the print media.” Following this, the live telecast was stopped for about 15 minutes.
Naidu also warned the protesting members of action or adjourning the House while asking them to allow debate and discussion. While drawing the agitating members' attention towards school children sitting in the Visitors' Gallery, he also quipped: “Live telecast is not there. Why are you wasting your energy”.
As the din continued, Naidu said if “you have decided to defy the Chair...choice is yours...only voice will go; noise will not go”. Earlier when the House had assembled for the day, TDP members led by Chowdary and Ramesh were up on their feet as soon as listed papers were laid on the table of the House. The Chairman said their notice has been converted into a short-duration discussion which would be taken up tomorrow.
Naidu said he was willing for a discussion on the issue last week itself but TDP leaders wanted it to be slated for Monday and yesterday they had sought its listing on July 24.
“I have admitted the notice under rule 176,” he said.
Rule 176 allows a short duration discussion to be raised by a member on a matter of urgent public importance.
But the TDP members were unrelenting. “Please don't do injustice to other members,” Naidu said, adding he has admitted 15 zero hour notices which should be taken up. NEW DELHI: The Congress members on Monday took strong objection to an officer allegedly taking notes of the debates in the Lok Sabha from the Officers' Gallery and said he was carrying out “surveillance” on opposition members, prompting the Speaker to give an assurance that she would look into the matter.
During the Question Hour, Congress leader Mallikarjun Kharge brought the attention of Speaker Sumitra Mahajan that an officer was standing in the Officers' Gallery, taking notes of the debates and even counting the number of MPS present in the opposition benches.
“It is surveillance. Who is he? Why is he taking notes? He is counting the number of MPS,” Kharge said amidst vociferous protests by his party MPS.
Kharge also claimed that as they were raising the issue, the officer concerned is seen leaving the House.
The Speaker assured the agitated members and said she could not see the Officers' Gallery from her seat but she will look into the matter. “I will see to it,” she said. Minister of State for Parliamentary Affairs Arjun Ram Meghwal said the concerned officer belonged to his ministry and was doing his duty.
HRD Minister Prakash Javadekar said the Lok Sabha proceedings were telecast live and everyone can see what is happening in the House.
“People even now can see who is winking in the House,” he said in an apparent dig at Congress President Rahul Gandhi. Rahul was not present in the House.