20-minute blitz of motions, protests spell Budget Session's end

TMC leader Derek O’Brien said no discussion on price rise was allowed during the entire session

Rajya Sabha proceedings were adjourned sine die Thursday without the customary closing remarks by the Chairman after the Shiv Sena and other opposition parties created a ruckus over price rise and the alleged misappropriation of funds collected to save aircraft carrier INS Vikrant.

As soon as the listed official papers were laid on the table, Shiv Sena MPs, including Sanjay Raut and Priyanka Chaturvedi, were up on their feet, trying to raise the issue of an FIR registered against the BJP’s Kirit Somaiya for allegedly siphoning off donations collected for saving INS Vikrant.

The now-decommissioned aircraft carrier is part of the Navy's glorious history and played an important role in the 1971 India-Pakistan war. It was sent to the scrapyard in 2014.

Congress MPs supported the Shiv Sena with some remarking that the issue of spiralling prices of essential commodities including those of petrol, diesel and cooking gas wasn't allowed to be raised in the entire session, but at least “this scam” should be discussed.

Chairman M Venkaiah Naidu, however. said he was not allowing the issue to be raised in the House and asked the MPs to return to their seats so that listed zero-hour mentions could be taken up.

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Shiv Sena MPs trooped into the Well of the House but Naidu was unmoved. He first called TMC's Derek O'Brien and then the BJP's Sushil Kumar Modi to raise their zero-hour mentions. “You can raise tomorrow, day after tomorrow anywhere you like but not here (in the House),” Naidu told the Shiv Sena and other opposition MPs.

As opposition MPs pestered, he said, “Don't unnecessarily register negative thoughts in my mind.” "This is not allowed. This is not the way," he told them.

Naidu ordered that nothing that the protesting MPs said would go on record.

As Derek O'Brien's zero-hour mention was interrupted by the vociferous protests from Shiv Sena MPs, Naidu said, "I will not allow. You can't force me."

“Don't come into the well. Please go to your seats," he said as Shiv Sena MPs trooped into the well. The Chairman ordered that the names of the MPs in the Well of the House be put in the House bulletin for the public to know. As Shiv Sena MPs were joined by Congress in raising slogans, he said, “Slogans will not go on record and they will not get an opportunity also.”

“This is the message you want to give to the country. On the last day of the session of the House, I leave it to you,” he said.

Amid the din, he called Sushil Kumar Modi to make his zero-hour submission, who demanded constituting an SIT under a retired Supreme Court judge to reopen the investigation into atrocities and crimes against Kashmiri Pandits.

Stating that more than 700 Kashmiri pandits were killed, he demanded that the SIT be assisted by the CBI, NIA to re-investigate all the 200 FIRs registered so that the guilty get the strictest punishment. "It was ethnic cleansing. It was a genocide. It was a holocaust," Modi said, referring to the migration of Kashmiri Pandits in the early 1990s.

As opposition MPs continued with their slogan-shouting, Naidu said, “This sort of disturbances will undermine the privilege and prestige of the House. Please go to your seats. You are undermining the dignity of the House."

Leader of the Opposition Mallikarjun Kharge wanted to speak but Naidu first wanted the protesting MPs to return to their seats. "I am not going to allow this kind of thing," the Chairman said, adding as he has not allowed the issue to be raised nobody can speak on it. "When I have not allowed it, I have not allowed it, that's all," he said. "Please don't cross LoC - Line of Control."

“You cannot dictate to me. I am the last man. I don't want to argue with you," he said.

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With MPs unrelenting, he rose on his feet to state that the House is going to be adjourned sine die. "You have an issue, raise the issue outside."

But the protests continued. “So you don't want to hear the concluding remarks also. I can adjourn without that also. I have no problem," he said. "This is totally against the democratic spirit, norms of the House, dignity and decorum of House. I feel very sad."

Naidu said some people decide to disrupt the House on the last day.

Derek O'Brien said no discussion on price rise was allowed despite opposition parties repeatedly trying to raise it. "Who is responsible for that," Naidu asked.

The Chair did not admit any notice for discussion on price rise. "Not one discussion was allowed," Derek O'Brien said.

"Who is responsible... who is responsible for disturbing the House?" Naidu shot back.

He said he would not read the concluding remarks. "They know this is the last day so create a situation where the chairman takes some action. I will not do it. I will not favour you with action also," he said. "You have the privilege of not having the remarks of the chairman."

He then called for the playing of the Vande Matram and thereafter adjourned the proceedings sine die.

The Budget session of Parliament was to conclude on April 8.

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