Sumitra Mahajan pulls up MPs for unruly behaviour

TMC parliamentarian apologises for questioning Speaker's impartiality

Lok Sabha Speaker Sumitra Mahajan on Wednesday pulled up parliamentarians for creating unruly scenes after Trinamool Congress (TMC) members disrupted the proceedings for the second consecutive day over Rail Budget forcing adjournment of the Question Hour.

“The undignified conduct of some of the members since yesterday (Tuesday) is extremely unfortunate. We all have been hurt by disruptions in the House during the last few days.

People have voted for us not to break rules of the House, but to make laws for the welfare of the nation and its citizens,” she observed, appealing to members to maintain dignity and decorum of Parliament.

Trinamool Congress member Kalyan Banerjee, who had questioned Mahajan’s impartiality by telling her amid the pandemonium that she was not the Speaker of the BJP and Prime Minister Narendra Modi, apologised for his remarks in the House.

“You are not Speaker of the BJP. You are not Speaker of Narendra Modi,” Banerjee said. The entire ruling coalition stood up from their seats and strongly protested against Banerjee’s remarks. As the House plunged into disorder, the Speaker adjourned the Question Hour.

“If I have hurt your sentiments, I am very sorry," the TMC leader said in the Lok Sabha after the Speaker expressed her anguish over “undignified” conduct of “some of the members” of the House as it reassembled at 12  pm.

The Speaker strongly disapproved the use of "unbecoming" language, raising slogans, showing placards and storming to the Well by the members. She also held it was improper for the members to indulge in even indirect “undignified” behaviour in the Lok Sabha or outside its premises.

“It is not necessary that if someone shows disrespect to the dignity of the House, others should resort to disruptions. This is not in tune with the dignity of Parliament. It is more serious matter if someone does not want to maintain the dignity of the Chair,” she noted.

The Speaker also appealed to leaders of all the political parties to ensure that their members do not resort to undignified conduct and help in the smooth functioning of the House.

“When we spread disorder, then many unwanted things happen. Charges, counter-charges and unbecoming languages are used. This hurts us all, the people of the nation and the democratic principles. In fact, the essence of democracy is self-discipline,” she added.

The Rajya Sabha, too, witnessed pandemonium and was adjourned twice as the Opposition members, including those from the TMC, created din in the Upper House on various issues, including price rise.