NEW DELHI: In a sign of what is in store, Trinamool Congress member Saugata Roy engaged himself in a heated exchange of words with Minister of State for Parliamentary Affairs Rajiv Pratap Rudy in the Lok Sabha, his party colleauge Derek O’ Brien submitted a notice of privilege motion against Finance Minister Arun Jaitley in the Rajya Sabha on Wenesday.
Rudy was replying to Congress leader Mallikarjun Kharge’s demand for a statement on the Sydney hostage crisis on Monday as Roy interjected asking why should he reply when the matter pertains to the External Affairs Ministry. To this Rudy got visibly annoyed. Kharge wanted to know how many people were really captured or taken hostage and how many were released.
“I am a minister in the government… who are you to ask me to stop? What is your problem, Mr Saugata Roy?… Madam, this is the habit of these people… If I am representing the government, who is he to question me? I am responding to him (Kharge), who are you?” Rudy said, adding: “If he has an objection to this too… if he thinks all his wishes be fulfilled, that is not possible in this House.”
The matter got worse as Kharge joined the issue saying Rudy cannot ask a member “Who are you to stop me?”. “He (Roy) is a member. He has got every right to ask. You cannot challenge a member. You can plead that you can answer… But you cannot say, “Who are you to ask me?” This is unfair. It is against principles and it is against the rules,” Kharge said.
Privilege motion against Jaitley
Jaitley had denied Monday there was any circular asking Navodaya students to remain present in the school on Christmas to observe the birthday of Atal Bihari Vajpayee and Madan Mohan Malaviya which will be celebrated as Goog Governance Day from this year. However, CPM veteran Sitaram Yechury submitted a copy of the circular to the Deputy Chairman of the upper House on Tuesday.
The TMC member moved a privilege motion against Jaitley for misleading the House on the circular on Wednesday.
On Monday, responding to Yechury’s concerns about media reports that the Christmas leave of schools has been cancelled,
Jaitley had said Monday that the media report cited by the members of House was factually incorrect and the HRD Minister Smriti Irani had told him no such circular had been issued, adding only an online essay competition would be held on the occasion.
Both Congress and TMC are also contemplating a privilege notice against Parliamentary Affairs Minister Venkaiah Naidu for making a similar statement in Lok Sabha on Monday.
