Opposition boycotts Parliament

Concerted attempt is being made to stifle dissenting voices, lawmakers say

The opposition yesterday boycotted the Rajya Sabha in the post-lunch session, complaining that their voice was being muzzled outside as well as inside Parliament.

As soon as the House met at 2pm, leader of Opposition Gulam Nabi Azad raised the issue of the House being adjourned without conducting the Zero Hour and the Question Hour for the past few days.

He said Parliament works according to “rules, regulations, procedures and conventions” and not “according to one’s whims”.

Azad was joined by other opposition leaders, including Samajwadi Party’s Naresh Agarwal, Trinamool Congress’ Derek O’Brien and Communist Party of India-Marxist’s Tapan Sen in the protest.

Adjournments

Deputy Chairman P.J. Kurien said the chairman’s decisions could not be questioned in the House and the aggrieved members could meet the chairman in his chamber.

At this, an enraged Azad announced that the opposition was boycotting the House for the day and the entire opposition then walked out of the House. Kurien adjourned the House to 3pm.

Outside the House, opposition leaders told journalists an attempt was being made to stifle the opposition’s voice for the “last one week or so” and called it an attack on their democratic rights.

Speaking to the media, Azad said: “In the Zero Hour, important issues are raised. But what is happening for the last one week that when a member gives notice for speaking in Zero Hour, without hearing him/her, the House is adjourned until 2pm. That means the House is not being run according to rules and procedures of Parliament.”