The Indian Express (Delhi Edition)
AIADMK MPS seek probe into Jaya death
THE LOK Sabha witnessed unruly scenes on Friday as a group of AIADMK members demanded a CBI probe into the death of former Tamil Nadu Chief Minister J Jayalalithaa, and Opposition MPS accused the Centre of “fooling” people by increasing prices of petroleum products.
The division among AIADMK MPS after Jayalalithaa’s death was evident in the Lok Sabha. As the House met, eight party MPS rushed to the Well with placards showing pictures of Jayalalithaa’s body and raised slogans calling for a CBI probe into her death. Speaker Sumitra Mahajan adjourned proceedings for 10 minutes as the MPS continued their protests. Other AIADMK MPS, apparently supporting V K Sasikala, remained in their seats.
When the House met again at 11.20 am, the eight MPS announced they were staging a walkout.
Meanwhile, in the Rajya Sabha, three AIADMK members, including V Maitreyan, rushed to the well waving placards and demanding a CBI probe into the “circumstances leading to the death” of Jayalalithaa.
In his Zero Hour mention, Maitreyan referred to the bulletins issued by Apollo Hospital on Jayalalithaa’s health and “two reports by the same hospital on different dates”, and claimed this was sufficient to order a central probe.
Amid din due to disruption by other AIADMK members, he said the Centre should order a probe, either by the CBI, SIT or a judicial investigation “immediately”. SP’S Kiranmoy Nanda and DMK’S T Siva associated with him on the issue.
As another AIADMK member, Vijila Sathyananth, began speaking in between, Deputy Chairman P J Kurien asked her not to disrupt proceedings. “You are a lady member. I respect you. You are my sister, (But) that does not mean you can misbehave,” he later said, adding that he would have taken action had any other male member done so.
Ruckus over LPG price
The Lok Sabha was disrupted again, this time over price rise. During Zero Hour, the Congress raised the issue of increased price of LPG cylinders. It found support in the House and the entire Opposition, except one AAP MP present, walked out in protest. The MPS vehemently protested against Parliamentary Affairs Minister Ananth Kumar’s remarks, terming the increase of Rs 86 per cylinder a “small hike”. UNION HOME Minister Rajnath Singh on Friday said in the Rajya Sabha that no citizen, whether Hindu, Muslim or Christian, will endorse or support terrorism.
Rajnath’s statement, made during Zero Hour, was on the train blast in Madhya Pradesh. He praised Mohammed Sartaj for refusing to accept the body of his son Saifullah, the suspected terrorist who was killed.
Amid the thumping of benches by the entire House, several Opposition members wanted a clarification from Rajnath on his reply. The minister said he he would do so on the “next working day”.
“Till March 8, six accused were arrested. With the arrest of two more accused by the UP ATS on March 9, total eight arrests have been made in these incidents so far,” he said, adding that the sequence of events was a “fine example of coordination between central agencies and state police”.
However, according to details given by police, there have been nine arrests in the case so far.
Rajnath hailed the police of Madhya Pradesh and Uttar Pradesh for “prompt action”, thereby averting a major threat to the nation’s security.
About Sartaj, the Home Minister said, “.... Be it Hindu, Muslim or Christian, none of them will under any circumstance endorse or support terror or any other such violent activities.”
Singh, who made the statement in Lok Sabha yesterday, said the UP ATS had laid siege to the house in which Saifullah was hiding and made vigorous attempts to nab him. “However, he refused to surrender and started firing at the ATS team. Ultimately, after 12 hours of effort, the ATS team entered the room in which Saifullah was holed up and in the ensuing encounter, this suspected terrorist was killed,” he said.
Senior Congress leader Digvijaya Singh said Sartaj’s statement reflects the sentiments of the nation and there can be no compromise on terrorism.
CPM general secretary Sitaram Yechury said that since the minister had made a statement on the issue, members should be allowed to seek clarification. He got support from several Opposition members, including Digvijaya, who said it was “an issue of national security” and demanded fixing of a date to seek clarifications. Rajnath agreed to make himself available to members for clarification on the next working day.