Mulayam off track in LS debate, gives relief to MPs

New Delhi: After the month-long acrimony, bickering and constant disruptions, there was situation comedy during the proceedings in the House on Friday when Samajwadi Party supremo Mulayam Singh Yadav suddenly started rambling about the progress made in Uttar Pradesh, while the House was debating the Disabilities Bill.

The Lok Sabha, however, went on to pass the Disabilities Bill – two days after it had been passed in the Upper House.

As the septuagenarian Mulayam Singh Yadav rose to speak on the Disabilities Bill, he abruptly changed track and began listing the developments in Uttar Pradesh and the progress witnessed under his son Akhilesh Yadav’s rule.

The House broke into laughter when repeated reminders by the Speaker Sumitra Mahajan that the House was debating the Disabilities Bill failed to have any impact on Mr Yadav, who by then was virtually unstoppable. Ignoring the nudges of the fellow members and whispers that he was completely off the track, Mr Yadav breathed fire on the treasury benches. Pointing at them he said, “Jaiye dekhiye UP mein, kitni suraksha hain, kitna bhaichara hain, koi bhedbhav nahi hain...”  (Go and see for yourself in UP, there are no differences between different communities, see the brotherhood…there is no law and order problem). By this time, the members of  the treasury benches were too amused to counter him. As Mr Yadav rambled on and on, the Speaker valiantly and politely tried to remind him, “Mulayamji, yeh Disabilities Bill hain, aap uspe boliye.” (Mulayamji, we are discussing the Disabilities Bill, please speak on it). But by then the SP supremo was vociferously discussing “mahilayon ki suraksha, shiksha..” (women’s security, education) and was in no mood to pay any heed to the Speaker’s remonstrations.

Veteran BJP leader L.K. Advani, who only on Thursday wanted to “resign” from the Lok Sabha in disgust, was all smiles on Friday as the SP supremo presented his take on the Disabilities Bill. The minister for social justice and empowerment Thaawarchand Gehlot (who was to reply to the discussion on the bill) for the first time in the last one month looked like he found the proceedings amusing.

While other members spoke on the merits and demerits of  the legislation, a charged up Mr Yadav stuck to his guns — discussing the merits of SP government in U.P.. Finally, a rather exasperated Speaker appealed to Mr Yadav, “Bas ho gayan, aap baith jaiye”. (Enough now. Please take your seat).

But this wasn’t the moment for Mr Yadav to take his seat. He still had miles to go. Finally, as Mr Yadav ran out of his time, his mike was switched off. Yet, undeterred, he went on for another two minutes before he finally decided to “take his seat”.