Row over Ahamed death stalls House

LS adjourned as Opposition disrupts proceedings

IN AN indication that the first half of Budget Session might not be smooth, the Lok Sabha witnessed frequent disruptions Friday, with Congress and Left MPS protesting over the “poor treatment” meted out to late MP E Ahamed’s family and TMC members accusing the government of indulging in “political vendetta”.

BJP MPS, including Union ministers, joined the pandemonium, raising the issue of a youth’s death in a loot incident in Meerut.

Owing to the ruckus, proceedings were adjourned twice before being adjourned for the day.

When the House met at 11 am, members from TMC, Congress and Left sought the Speaker’s permission to raise their issues. Also, MPS from YSR Congress, which has been demanding special status for Andhra Pradesh, were seen with placards. Speaker Sumitra Mahajan said she would let the Opposition leaders speak during Zero Hour and that they should let the House run. But the MPS persisted and Mahajan adjourned the proceedings after 10 minutes.

The House met again at noon and the Speaker allowed Labour Minister Bandaru Dattatreya and Finance Minister Arun Jaitley to introduce the Payment of Wages (Amendment) Bill and Specified Bank Notes (Cessation of Liabilities) Bill, 2017, respectively.

Then Mahajan asked Union minister Mahesh Sharma to initiate the debate on the Motion of Thanks to President’s Address. The Opposition MPS protested and sought permission to raise their matters. They trooped to the Well, forcing the Speaker to adjourn proceedings till 1 pm. When the House met again, the Speaker allowed TMC MP Saugata Roy to speak on his notice. Roy’s notice was on the CBI “targeting” TMC MPS, including Sudip Bandyopadhyay, who was arrested in connection with a chit fund scam.

But as Roy started speaking, BJP MPS, including some ministers, stood up and started shouting, “killing in Meerut.” A youth was killed and four others injured when a gang opened fire after looting a godown in Meerut Thursday night. The MPS raised slogans on the law and order situation in poll-bound UP.

As the Speaker decided to call it a day, angry Congress MPS, led by those from Kerala, rushed to the Well and started shouting, “You cannot do this” ,”You cannot stifle us like this.” Congress’s K C Venugopal, Kodikkunnil Suresh, Anto Antony, RSP’S N K Premachandran and CPM’S P Karunakaran were seen having a heated argument with Parliamentary Affairs Minister Ananth Kumar and BJP chief whip Rakesh Singh. As the Speaker left her chair, Antony was heard shouting: “Why don’t you dissolve Parliament itself. You don’t let us speak, you no longer need this.” Congress leader Jyotiraditya Scindia was heard saying: “They (BJP) just do not want the House to run.”

Outside, Congress, Left and RJD members got together to address mediapersons. Criticising the government for its approach, they blamed the treasury benches for the disruption of House proceedings.

“It is unfortunate that ruling party MPS and ministers stalled the House. They did not allow us to put the matter before the House. We wanted a clarification on incidents that followed Ahamed’s hospitalisation. But they (BJP MPS) stood up. The government is responsible for today’s disruption,” Congress leader Mallikarjun Kharge told reporters. “The Speaker adjourned the House immediately,” he added.