Confrontation continued for the entire second week and both the Houses of Parliament were adjourned on Friday without reaching up to the private members’ business because of the repeated ruckus.
Refusal of the treasury benches to accept opposition INDIA’s demand to have an immediate discussion on the violence in Manipur in the two Houses has resulted in continuing disruptions and adjournment throughout this week with the Rajya Sabha on Friday witnessing a marked escalation in the form of a showdown between Chairman Jagdeep Dhankhar and Trinamool Congress leader Derek O’Brien.
While the opposition demanded immediate taking up of its no-confidence motion in the Lok Sabha which was turned down with Parliamentary Affairs Minister Prahlad Joshi saying that everything is happening according to the rules and the debate on a no-confidence motion can be started within 10 days. Refusal by the government to accept opposition’s demand to have discussion under Rule 267, which gives a Rajya Sabha MP special power to suspend the pre-decided agenda of the House, with the approval of the Chairman has resulted in confrontation between the two sides.
The Rajya Sabha chairman accused the TMC MP of “engaging in theatrics” a habit, inviting a strong objection from O’Brien, who said he was quoting the rules of the House and demanding a serious discussion on Manipur.
The spat occurred when Dhankhar was addressing the members of the House and pointing out that the repeated disruptions in the House do not evoke respect among the people. He also spoke of how he was getting inputs from all over, indicating “alarming concern” over the situation in the House.
“I have received 47 notices on Friday under Rule 267 with respect to expression of their concern over the prevailing situation in Manipur. This is a situation that I have countenanced during the entire week,” the Chairman said
“I get inputs from all over, they indicate worrisome, alarming concern. I would therefore appeal to the wisdom of the House to rise above partisan interests and work in a manner so that a short-duration discussion, which I have agreed to, can take place,” Dhankhar said.
When the Chairman was pointing to the precedent of very few Rule 267 notices being accepted and stating that the entire nation looks at proceedings in Parliament, he was interrupted by O’Brien, who said “we are aware of this”.
Things escalated quickly after that, with the Chairman asking O’Brien to “lend your ears and take your seat”. When the TMC MP continued to speak, Dhankhar said, “Mr Derek O’Brien, it has become your habit to engage in theatrics. You rise every time, you think it is your prerogative. The minimum thing which you can exemplify is to show respect to the chair. If I am saying something, you rise and create theatrics.”
This invited a strong reaction from the TMC MP, who said, “Theatrics? I object to the word theatrics. I am only quoting the rules of the House. We want a serious discussion on Manipur under Rule 267, which is a key emergency provision, given the seriousness of the issue”
An angry Rajya Sabha chairman then asked O’Brien not to thump the table. “Don’t thump it. Is it not theatrics? I will call the leaders. We can’t suffer this.”
Dhankhar then adjourned the House till Monday even as the visibly angry MP continued to wave his hands and speak
The opposition has been pressing for a discussion under Rule 267 but the government has been opposing it.
Motions moved under this rule have rarely been accepted. The Chairman pointed out that the Parliamentary records show that discussions under the rule were allowed only 11 times between 1990 and 2016. The last instance was in 2016, when then Chairman Hamid Ansari had allowed a debate on the “demonetisation of currency.”
The government has refused a discussion under Rule 267 and offered to discuss the issue under Rule 176, which allows for a short-duration discussion, but has no provision for a formal motion or voting.
The Lok Sabha was later adjourned amid protests by the opposition benches over the Manipur issue and the Speaker least interested in starting a discussion on their no-confidence motion brought on Wednesday by Congress deputy leader Gogoi.
The Modi government seems to be least interested in taking the opposition on board as it is as the next week may also witness similar tumultuous sittings. The Opposition leaders are planning to go to Manipur on Saturday to study the situation and reassert that the violence in the state is the result of the government’s inaction. Parading of two Kuki women in the state was to come up in the Supreme Court, but it was put off because the Chief Justice was not well.
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