MPs stage walkout from RS
MPs stage walkout from RS
TMC MPs on Tuesday staged a walkout from the Rajya Sabha questioning why no action was taken against 33 Congress members who were named for “gross disorderly conduct” for protesting in the well a day earlier when their colleague Sukhendu Sekhar Roy was asked to withdraw from the House.
Raising the issue, Derek O’Brien said Rule 255 was invoked by Chairman Hamid Ansari on Monday, which his colleague Mr Roy complied with.
“We have no issue with that,” he said, adding Mr Roy had at no point left his seat and was raising an issue from there.
He then went on to read the Rajya Bulletin of Monday which named 33 Congress members for “gross disorderly conduct in violation of rules and etiquette of the Rajya Sabha”.
The members “entered the well of the House, shouted slogans and persistently and wilfully obstructed the proceedings of the House”, forcing the Chair to repeatedly adjourn the House, the bulletin said.
He said one member was making a point from his seat, whereas 33 members were in well.
The TMC leader sought a ruling from the Chair if action against one member and sparing 33 others “violates Article 14 of the Constitution”. Article 14 provides for right to equality before law.
Deputy chairman P.J. Kurien said the ruling was given by the Chairman and he cannot say anything on it. “Ruling of Chairman cannot be questioned, ruling of the Chair cannot be discussed,” he said. To this, Mr O’Brien said: “We are saddened... And are walking out of Rajya Sabha.”
The Congress members created a din in the House demanding a discussion on alleged pandering of resources by Gujarat government company GSPC on its KG basin gas project.
