NE NEWS SERVICE
NEW DELHI, AUG 4
As Rajya Sabha remained paralysed for the twelfth day amid continuing protests by the Opposition, Chairman M Venkaiah Naidu on Wednesday met leaders of various parties and urged them to ensure the smooth running of the House so that issues of public interest can be taken up.
During the discussions individually and in groups before the Upper House met and after the first adjournment, the Chairman expressed concern over continued disruptions in the House following a stalemate between the government and the opposition parties which have been demanding a discussion on Pegasus snooping allegations, farm laws and other issues.
Naidu urged the leaders to enable the return of normalcy and bring about a broad agreement among various sections of the House to discuss farmers” issues, price rise, unemployment and economic situation in the country.
Sources said Naidu told them that as per rules and conventions of the House, such issues on which there is an agreement between the government and the opposition are taken up for discussion and, accordingly, he has more than once urged both sides to work on the agenda of the House.
The opposition protests have rocked the two Houses since they met for the Monsoon session on July 19.
Leaders of some parties, who are not involved in the ongoing disruptions, have been voicing concern to the Chairman over losing opportunities of participation in the House due to the disruptions.
Naidu called these leaders and gave an account of the efforts he has been making to end the present impasse.
He informed the leaders that a broad understanding has now emerged in the House to discuss farmers’ issues, price rise and unemployment and the members should take advantage.
When some leaders raised the issue of members of the House being named over protests on Wednesday, the Chairman said he had to do so out of deep concern and anguish over the course of events in the House since the start of the Session.
He said there are reports that some parties have publicly vowed to ensure the washout of this Monsoon session, the sources said.
The Chairman on Wednesday, under Rule 255, asked some members who entered the Well and displayed placards to leave the House for the day.
He, however, did not name anyone and said Rajya Sabha Secretariat will give the list.
Later a Parliamentary Bulletin identified six Trinamool Congress MPs suspended for the day as Dola Sen, Md. Nadimul Haque, Abir Ranjan Biswas, Shanta Chhetri, Arpita Ghosh and Mausam Noor.
On a request for a lenient view on the day-long suspension of the members, Chairman Naidu said that he was bound to uphold the dignity of the House and was constrained to act when the matters are taken to the extreme over a period of 12 days.
When it was suggested that the members be given an opportunity to express ”regret” over their actions, he noted that members don’t need the permission of the Chair to do so.
Naidu discussed the situation in Rajya Sabha with M Thambidurai (AIADMK), Prasanna Acharya (BJD), Ramgopal Yadav (SP), Jairam Ramesh (Cong), Deepender Hooda (Cong), Ramnath Thakur (JD-U) besides Deputy Chairman Harivansh and Leader of the House Piyush Goyal.
