Voice muzzled, says Opposition; boycotts House

New Delhi: A group of Opposition parties including the Congress on Tuesday boycotted the proceedings of Rajya Sabha, alleging that their voice was being “muzzled”. Among the parties which boycotted the proceedings after lunch include the Congress, TMC, NCP, DMK, Samajwadi Party, CPI-M, CPI and the AAP. Members of the parties stayed away from the House when the proceedings resumed at 3pm after two adjournments during the day. However, seemingly in an effort to placate the agitating Opposition members in Rajya Sabha, Vice President M Venkiah Naidu on Tuesday evening said that the democratic rights of MPs would be protected.

Speaking to reporters outside the House, Leader of Opposition in Rajya Sabha Ghulam Nabi Azad said, “The voice of the opposition is being muzzled outside and we do not want this to happen with the Opposition parties inside the House. Which is why we wanted to raise this issue since morning and which is why we have boycotted the House for the whole day.”

He alleged that various issues happening in the period between proceedings of two days are meant to be raised during Zero Hour, but the moment MPs get up to raise these issues the House is adjourned till 2 PM.

Meanwhile, clarifying on the issue of abrupt adjournment of the upper house on Monday and Tuesday, Mr Naidu said, “I am deeply concerned with the negative public perception of this august House on account of forced adjournments and that too quite frequently over the years, which follows a pattern. A pattern aimed at not allowing the House to function smoothly, come what may. I thought that it would be better to adjourn the House for a longer period instead of resorting to frequent adjournments. That too when it becomes evident that some sections of the house were bent on not allowing smooth conduct of the house,” he said after facing opposition ire after he disallowed their adjournment notices.

The Opposition also did not agree to Dy Speaker Kurien’s suggestion to meet the the Chairman in his chamber and resolve the deadlock.

But, O’Brien pressed for an open debate in the House, saying “Whatever has happened at 11.10 AM did not happen in the chamber, but here only.”

Earlier, intervening during the ongoing debate on the motion of thanks to the Presidential debate, Union minister Arun Jaitley said, “ It is absolutely unprecedented. Congress and some other parties have tried to manufacture an issue when none existed...There is a huge opportunity for discussing all political and economic issues this week in Parliament. Instead rules are being violated, everyday an effort being made to get the House adjourned, it is obvious that they don’t want an organised discussion”.