Opinion | Rajya Sabha: Ensure that ugly spectacle is not repeated
The whole nation watched on Thursday the ugly spectacle of MPs in Rajya Sabha wrestling with female and male marshals contained in the effectively of the House. The incident had taken place on Wednesday night when the Insurance Amendment Bill was being handed. Both the federal government and the opposition blamed one another for the jostling and shoving that befell contained in the House.
Congress leaders Rahul Gandhi and Mallikarjun Kharge, and Shiv Sena chief Sanjay Raut, after marching from Parliament to Vijay Chowk with different opposition MPs, alleged that MPs have been “beaten up” by “outsiders from RSS wearing the uniform of marshals”. This was promptly rejected as a “bunch of lies” by at the least eight ministers of the federal government, together with Piyush Goyal, Anurag Thakur and Pralhad Joshi, who alleged that a few of the MPs injured a girl marshal throughout the melee.
Piyush Goyal alleged that a few of the MPs beat up a girl marshal and she or he fell on the ground. Video of Rajya Sabha surfaced which clearly confirmed the girl marshal was being shoved by a number of MPs. The opposition alleged that solely selective movies have been being launched by the federal government. Sanjay Raut mentioned he felt as if he was standing on the India-Pakistan border.
In my prime time present ‘Aaj Ki Baat’ on Thursday night time, I confirmed all of the video clips and the record of all safety officers (marshals) current contained in the House on the time of commotion. I recognized every of the 42 marshals by identify to test whether or not the opposition’s cost that outsiders have been introduced within the uniform of marshals was legitimate or not. I additionally confirmed medical reviews of marshals who suffered accidents.
By alleging that MPs have been “beaten up” by outsiders from RSS sporting uniform of marshals, Rahul Gandhi has questioned the sanctity and impartiality of the Chair. This by no means occurred earlier than. In the previous, the opposition used to degree fees in opposition to the Prime Minister and different ministers, however by no means in opposition to the Chair. This was unprecedented. By elevating the finger of suspicion at Rajya Sabha chairman, the opposition has made a mockery of the tears shed by Venkaiah Naidu contained in the House on Wednesday.
Rahul Gandhi has been a member of Parliament for 17 years and has been the president of the oldest political get together in India. Such a severe cost levelled by him requires detailed scrutiny.
In my present, I confirmed the footage contained in the House taken on digital camera however not proven within the dwell telecast resulting from strict guidelines on telecast of proceedings. At 6.02 pm, when the insurance coverage modification invoice was being moved contained in the House, Trinamool Congress chief Derek O’Brien gestured in direction of his get together colleague Dola Sen. The latter took one other get together colleague Shanta Chhetri along with her, with a cotton like hanging rope coiled round Shanta’s neck, and Dola Sen holding the opposite finish of the rope. Both of them stood contained in the effectively of the House and have been chanting slogans. Other opposition MPs have been shouting slogans from their benches.
As Dola Sen and Shanta Chhetri proceeded in direction of the house beneath the Chair’s podium, marshals got here and guarded the Chair. The marshals wished to safe your entire effectively and house across the Chair. Sasmit Patra of Biju Janata Dal was then within the chair as presiding officer.
At round 6.05 pm, Congress, Trinamool Congress and Shiv Sena MPs entered the effectively and chanted slogans. They shaped a hoop across the reporters’ desk. As per the video, at 6.22 pm, Dola Sen pushed the Leader of the House Piyush Goel and tried to impede Parliamentary Affairs Minister Pralhad Joshi. At 6.26 pm, Congress whip Naseer Hussain, TMC MP Arpita Ghosh and Shiv Sena MP Priyanka Chaturvedi, tore papers and threw the shreds in direction of the chair.
When I checked footage from different cameras, I used to be shocked to look at TMC MP Sukhendu Shekhar Roy talking on the invoice, whilst his get together colleagues have been making an attempt to disrupt the proceedings. Soon after BJD and AIADMK members additionally took half within the debate, and it appeared as if the proceedings have returned to regular. Within seconds, opposition MPs grew to become aggressive, began sloganeering, tore papers and threw the shreds, and almost 24 MPs entered the effectively.
By then, the marshals, together with woman workers, had shaped a cordon across the reporters’ desk after which feminine MPs took cost. Two Congress MPs Phulo Devi Netam and Chhaya Verma tried to bodily take away feminine marshals from their spot. Both the feminine MPs have been seen jostling and shoving a woman marshal.
The video clearly confirmed that Phulo Devi Netam had caught maintain of the neck of the woman marshal and was making an attempt to hit her along with her head. The identify of the woman marshal is Akshita Bhatt. She is a Security Assistant in Rajya Sabha. She had accidents on her neck and swellings on some parts of her physique. I’ve a medical report on her signed by the CMO of the CGHS dispensary in Parliament. Her shoulder and chest x-ray reviews confirmed severe accidents.
In her criticism, Akshita Bhatt has named the 2 Congress MPs Netam and Chhaya Verma of holding her arms and beating her. In her criticism, she mentioned, she tried to train utmost restraint and did not hit again. In the method, she had swellings on her left wrist and left shoulder.
The House was adjourned at 6.10 pm however when it resumed after quarter-hour, Congress Assam unit chief Ripun Bora tried to face on the reporters’ desk and wished to go in direction of the Chair. Seven to eight minutes later, TMC chief Derek O’Brien got here to the home. He was holding his cellphone and was recording the melee on his digital camera. His get together colleagues, Arpita Ghosh, Mausam Noor and Dola Sen stood on the members’ bench. The stunning half was that RJD MP Manoj Jha and AAP MP Sushil Kumar Gupta have been collaborating within the debate even because the opposition members have been making an attempt to disrupt proceedings.
No have to say who hit whom in any case that have appeared within the digital camera footage. I’ve greater than 20 nonetheless pictures of what occurred contained in the House on Wednesday night.
These pictures depict Dola Sen and Shanta Chhetri strolling in direction of the effectively with a cotton hanging rope, Dola Sen making an attempt to bodily stop two ministers Piyush Goyal and Pralhad Joshi who have been getting into the House from the passage main in direction of the Chairman’s chamber. There are pictures of Congress MP Naseer Hussain asking Shiv Sena chief Sanjay Raut to maneuver in direction of the reporters’ desk. By that time, extra MPs Ripun Bora, E. Kareem, Benoy Viswam and Akhilesh Pratap Singh had reached the effectively. There is the picture of CPI(M), MP E. Kareem, holding the neck of a marshal, there was one other picture of a woman marshal being dragged and crushed up.
Rahul Gandhi had alleged that a lot of outsiders from RSS posing as marshals have been deployed to “stifle the voice” of the opposition. According to Piyush Goyal, solely 30 marshals have been current within the House, 12 feminine and 18 male. They have been required to guard the Chair and the reporters’ desk.
What Rahul has alleged is very severe. How can outsiders be introduced within the uniform of marshals inside Parliament? He is questioning the Rajya Sabha Chairman himself.
Marshals, we should always know, are not appointed by the federal government. Marshals are appointed by the chairman of the House. When the Constitution Amendment Bill was being debated a number of hours in the past inside Rajya Sabha, solely 14 marshals, together with two feminine, have been current. But when the melee started, all of the 42 marshals have been deployed contained in the House to forestall violence. Most of the marshals shaped a cordon across the reporters’ desk to forestall a repeat of what occurred on August 10, when MPs stood on the desk and threw papers and rule guide on the Chair.
In my present, I named all of the 42 marshals who have been deployed in the home together with their designations. They have been led by Rajeev Sharma, Special Director (Security), aided by 4 extra administrators, one joint director, 4 deputy administrators, eight Assistant Security Officers, and 6 Security Assistants. These 24 marshals are from Rajya Sabha safety. The relaxation have been safety officers deployed within the lobbies and have been known as for help. Among the 42 marshals have been 31 male and 11 females. There is one other criticism from a safety assistant Rakesh Negi, who alleged that CPI(M) MP E. Kareem and Shiv Sena MP Anil Desai attacked him. Kareem caught him by the scruff of his neck and brought on him suffocation and accidents.
Several seasoned opposition leaders watched the melee with their very own eyes, and but they’re not going to just accept the reality, even when the names of all marshals and all of the digital camera footages are proven to them. They might have their very own compulsions. But what was the crux of the matter? What was the dispute all about?
It so occurred, that the opposition after stalling proceedings from Day One, had agreed on Wednesday to get the OBC Constitution Amendment Bill handed peacefully. After the invoice was handed unanimously, the federal government wished two extra pending payments to be handed, and that led to the opposition inflicting a melee.
It is a reality that the Hon’ble Rajya Sabha leaders, who’ve been alleging that outsiders had been introduced in as marshals, know these marshals by identify, as a result of they work together with them each day. It is additionally true that 42 marshals have been deployed on Wednesday night to forestall any ugly recurrence. Even safety workers from Lok Sabha have been additionally requisitioned. And but, the opposition leaders are unwilling to confess that they scuffled and shoved the marshals. They are unwilling to confess that these are uncooked digital camera footages from the Rajya Sabha archives. They are unwilling to confess that their very own get together colleagues instigated the shoving and jostling contained in the effectively.
Rajya Sabha chairman Venkaiah Naidu is a seasoned parliamentarian and politician. He is aware of how one can stick with parliamentary ethics and guidelines for conduct of proceedings. He cares for the dignity and respect of Opposition members too. Throughout his tenure as Chairman, he at all times allowed opposition members to talk. He by no means tried to stifle anyone’s voice. But as a parliamentarian with conscience, he might not have remained silent watching a bunch of MPs standing on the reporters’ desk, shouting slogans and throwing the rule guide on the Chair.
The saddest half is that at a time when your entire nation is battling with a lethal pandemic, with individuals dropping employment resulting from frequent lockdowns, our members of Parliament, as a substitute of debating severe points, tried to disrupt proceedings constantly for nearly a month, after which resorted to an ugly duel with the safety workers.
The sadder half is that this controversy was sought to be given a political motive. The opposition leaders alleged that they have been not allowed to talk. The easy debate on the OBC Constitution Amendment Bill clearly confirmed that the opposition not solely listened, but in addition spoke. To allege that marshals have been introduced in for the primary time contained in the House is not true.
I’ve seen opposition leaders like Maniram Bagri and Raj Narain being dragged by marshals from contained in the House throughout Indira Gandhi’s rule. The opposition has alleged that marshals beat up some MPs and misbehaved with a few of their feminine colleagues. But the digital camera footage makes it clear that their allegation is a white lie. On the opposite, the footage clearly reveals that a few of the MPs jostled, shoved and beat up the marshals.
The opposition’s allegation that outsiders have been introduced contained in the House within the uniforms of marshals does not maintain water. These marshals are a part of the Rajya Sabha safety workers, who’ve been working since years. It is a sacrilege to make use of safety workers as pawns within the political sport that is being performed. Remember, these are from the well-known Rajya Sabha safety workers, who took terrorists’ bullets on their chests to guard the lives of members throughout the notorious Parliament assault on December 13, 2001.
The final query is of the dignity and decorum of Parliament. It pertains to the status of Indian democracy. I might request the Rajya Sabha Chairman to take up this matter severely and guarantee that stringent punishment is given to the offenders. Let us hope that such scenes are not repeated in future. Let the leaders of all events sit collectively, allow them to take the Chairman’s recommendation and guarantee that Parliament is run easily, in future.
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