New Delhi: Prime Minister Manmohan Singh reportedly called Hamid Ansari to convey distress over Mayawati’s attack on him in Rajya Sabha on Wednesday.
BSP chief Mayawati on Wednesday shocked the Rajya Sabha by telling Chairman Hamid Ansari that he is “not seen” in the House in the afternoon after
“You are not seen here after 12 PM… What kind of House is this? You have to take decision that what has to be done for this (ensuring the functioning of the House),” the BSP chief said.
She was protesting against the frequent disruption over a bill for providing reservation in promotion to SC/STs in government jobs, an issue that has seen the party at loggerheads with the Samajwadi Party, its arch detractor in UP politics.
The protest by the BSP on the quota issue saw the House being adjourned twice before lunch.
Mayawati’s remarks left the House stunned. The Chairman told her that she was a senior leader and should allow the House to function. He said it was the responsibility of everyone to let the House function.
But, BSP members were unrelenting.
Mayawati’s outburst came at 11.30 am when textile minister Anand Sharma was replying to a query on the plight of weavers in Uttar Pradesh.
The BSP supremo, along with her party colleagues, came into House and started speaking even before taking her seat.
As the Chairman tried to pacify Mayawati and asked her to allow the Question Hour to proceed, the BSP chief went into the Well with her party members continuing with her verbal attack.
Mayawati’s remarks came on a day when the Chairman has called a meeting of the Rules Committee of the Rajya Sabha anguished over frequent disruptions of the Question Hour.
Mayawati said, “The Chairman leaves at 12 noon and thereafter the Deputy Chairman sits on the Chair and thereafter there is drama. This drama is repeated every day,” suggesting action like use of marshals against members disrupting the House or suspending them to ensure that the House functions normally.
“There is a limit to tolerate things,” she said while justifying the “tough” stand taken by her party in the Rajya Sabha earlier in the day.
Proceedings in Parliament touched a new low today with Mayawati stunning Rajya Sabha by her outbursts against the Chairman over its frequent disruptions.
She said the House turns disorderly after the Chairman leaves, adding since the House is not in order the SC/ST Bill is not being taken up.
Mayawati’s party colleagues started shouting ‘dalit virodhi ye sarkar nahi chalegi’ (anti-dalit government is not acceptable).
A visibly upset Ansari adjourned the House till noon.
When the House reassembled, BSP members again trooped into the Well shouting anti-government slogans.
On Monday, Mayawati had threatened to take a “tough stand” in case the government does not help bring order in the Rajya Sabha and get the bill passed.
Amid the uproar, BJP leader M Venkaiah Naidu took strong objection to reports on Government’s plans to increase the cap on subsidised LPG.
As the din continued, Deputy Chairman P J Kurien adjourned the House for another 30 minutes till 12.30 PM. However, there was no improvement in the situation when the House met again and minutes after it was adjourned for the day.
PTI
