Voice muzzled, says Opp; boycotts House

A group of Opposition parties including the Congress on Tuesday boycotted the proceedings of Rajya Sabha, alleging that their voice was being “muzzled”. Among the parties which boycotted the proceedings after lunch include the Congress, TMC, NCP, DMK, Samajwadi Party, CPI- M, CPI and the AAP. Members of the parties stayed away from the House when the proceedings resumed at 3pm after two adjournments during the day. However, seemingly in an effort to placate the agitating Opposition members in Rajya Sabha, Vice President M Venkiah Naidu on Tuesday evening said that the democratic rights of MPs would be protected.

Speaking to reporters outside the House, Leader of Opposition in Rajya Sabha Ghulam Nabi Azad said, “The voice of the opposition is being muzzled outside and we do not want this to happen with the Opposition parties inside the House. Which is why we wanted to raise this issue since morning and which is why we have boycotted the House for the whole day.”

He alleged that various issues happening in the period between proceedings of two days are meant to be raised during Zero Hour, but the moment MPs get up to raise these issues the House is adjourned till 2 PM.

Meanwhile, clarifying on the issue of abrupt adjournment of the upper house on Monday and Tuesday, Mr Naidu said, “I am deeply concerned with the negative public perception of this august House on account of forced adjournments and that too quite frequently over the years, which follows a pattern. A pattern aimed at not allowing the House to function smoothly, come what may. I thought that it would be better to adjourn the House for a longer period instead of resorting to frequent adjournments. That too when it becomes evident that some sections of the house were bent on not allowing smooth conduct of the house,” he said after facing opposition ire after he disallowed their adjournment notices.

The Opposition also did not agree to Dy Speaker Kurien’s suggestion to meet the the Chairman in his chamber and resolve the deadlock.

PRITAM BANDYOPADHYAY Congress president Rahul Gandhi ( left) and RJD MP Misa Bharti with SP MP Jaya Bachchan at Parliament House on Tuesday. —

— ASIAN AGE Opposition leaders Naresh Agarwal, D. Raja, Ghulam Nabi Azad, Derek O'Brien and Sanjay Singh at the Parliament in New Delhi on Tuesday.