oppn-walks-out-of-rs-after-rahul-stopped-from-completing-speech

The Rajya Sabha witnessed noisy scenes on Monday as Opposition members staged a protest and walked out during Question Hour over developments in the Lok Sabha, where Leader of Opposition Rahul Gandhi was prevented from completing his speech and Prime Minister Narendra Modi later stayed away amid allegations involving women MPs.

Leader of Opposition in the Upper House, Mallikarjun Kharge, raised the issue soon after proceedings began at noon. Chairman C P Radhakrishnan permitted him to speak but cautioned that he should not refer to matters related to the Lok Sabha.

“I am only raising issues concerning the Constitution… Parliament consists of our House and Lok Sabha… and the Constitution recognises these two Houses… We have to run according to procedures and rules…,” Kharge said, before asserting that the Leader of Opposition in the Lower House was “not being allowed to speak”.

The Chairman, however, ruled that Kharge could not raise issues pertaining to the other House and said that “nothing that he says will go on record”. He then proceeded with Question Hour, even as Kharge and other Opposition leaders remained standing in their seats demanding to be heard.

Also read: Lok Sabha adjourned amid Oppn sloganeering

As the Chair did not relent, Opposition MPs raised slogans accusing the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party of insulting women parliamentarians. Members of all INDIA bloc parties joined the protest, barring the Trinamool Congress. After sloganeering for several minutes, Opposition MPs staged a walkout, following which Question Hour continued.

The Lok Sabha has remained disrupted since February 3, after Rahul Gandhi was stopped by the Chair from quoting an article based on excerpts from former Army chief M M Naravane’s unpublished memoir, which refers to the 2020 India-China conflict. Eight Opposition MPs have since been suspended from the House.

On February 5, Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla said he had “concrete information” suggesting that some Congress members might move towards the Prime Minister’s seat and carry out “some unexpected act”, prompting him to request Modi not to attend the House that day.

Congress women MPs later wrote to Birla, alleging that grave accusations were levelled against them under pressure to justify the Prime Minister’s absence. Several Opposition parties have now decided to move a resolution seeking the Speaker’s removal.