RS: Rajnath Singh, Amit Shah gagged over NRC

A noisy Opposition on Wednesday prevented Home Minister Rajnath Singh and BJP President Amit Shah from speaking in the Rajya Sabha on the controversial National Register of Citizens (NRC) published in Assam on Monday.

The Home Minister found his reply to the debate on the issue being drowned in the noise from the well as also from the members shouting from their seats and ultimately placed his entire speech on the table.

Members lost the opportunity they get in the Upper House to ask questions after the minister's reply as the Home Minister sat down saying some members appear determined not to listen to the reply.

The NRC issue has derailed proceedings in the House for the past three days except for the question hour on Wednesday that went on smoothly after Chairman M Venkaiah Naidu assured the agitated members that the Home Minister will come at 2 PM in the post-lunch session to clarify the government's views on the matter.

The Chairman kept trying to let Amit Shah complete his speech that was cut short on Tuesday due to adjournment of the House in the wake of disruptions. Shah did rise for a moment but then gave up seeing the ruckus.

The day began with Congress leader Anand Sharma insisting on the Chair to expunge the remarks of Shah on Tuesday that all Prime Ministers after late Rajiv Gandhi were "bujdil" (cowards) in not implementing his Assam accord. "It applies to Atal Behari Vajpayee too," Sharma said. The Chairman said he will go through the record to see if any objectionable remarks were made.

The Chairman then went on to give a short lecture chastising the members for causing pandemonium and rushing to the well with slogans, asserting that he is compelled to use his discretion to adjourn the House time and again.

The Home Minister was in the House on Tuesday as well as again right at the start of the day's proceedings on Wednesday, sitting next to Amit Shah. The Opposition wanted him to reply, but a ruckus broke out when the Chairman said he would first allow Shah to finish his inconclusive speech and then Rajnath Singh will speak. He ultimately adjourned the House up to the question hour. He had a sort of running battle with the irate opposition members for ten minutes in the post-lunch session before adjourning for the day after seeing that even the home minister gave up.

Outside Parliament, the BJP leaders accused the Opposition for gagging the voice of their president by not allowing him to speak despite repeated call by the Chairman.

The day began with Congress leader Anand Sharma insisting on the Chair to expunge the remarks of Shah on Tuesday that all Prime Ministers after late Rajiv Gandhi were "bujdil" (cowards) in not implementing his Assam accord. "It applies to Atal Behari Vajpayee too," Sharma said. The Chairman M Venkaiah Naidu said he will go through the record to see if any objectionable remarks were made.