BJP MPs Nishikant Dubey and Sanjay Jaiswal have filed a “breach of privilege and contempt” notice against several opposition members. Source – ANI
NEW DELHI: BJP MPs Nishikant Dubey and Sanjay Jaiswal have filed a “breach of privilege and contempt” notice against several opposition members and urged Speaker Om Birla for disciplinary action against them for “continuously obstructing” the House’s proceedings when rural development minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan was piloting the G RAM G Bill Official sources said Birla is examining the matter. The Speaker was critical of the excessive disruption by several MPs, some of whom reached the table of Lok Sabha officials in an attempt to disrupt proceedings, on Wednesday. Dubey named Hibi Eden, Dean Kuriakose, S Murasoli, K Gopinath, Sashikant Senthil, Shafi Parambil, S Venkateshan and Jothimani, all from different opposition parties, in his notice.In his letter to Birla, he accused them of continuously obstructing the smooth functioning of the House by creating obstructions for Chouhan and the officers assisting the House.”As such, this is misconduct in the presence of House, disobedience to the authority of Speaker, obstructing officers of the House in discharge of their duties which is clearly a breach of privileges of Members of Parliament collectively and the contempt of the House,” he added.He urged Birla to take “strict action” against against the opposition MPs “so that in future this kind of incidents do not re-occur”.When Chouhan was responding to the debate, opposition members rushed to the Well of the House, tore copies of the Bill and stood on tables to register their protest against the provisions of the rural job guarantee Bill, which will replace the 20-year-old Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (MGNREGA). The Speaker’s office is also examining the opposition’s notice for removal from office of Madras high court Judge GS Swaminathan and also the complaint filed against a TMC MP for vaping inside Lok Sabha even as e-cigarette is banned across the country.As the session came to an end, Parliamentary Affairs Minister Kiren Rijiju lauded this sitting of Parliament as a milestone in PM Narendra Modi’s push for “reform express”, highlighting the passage of some key legislations covering rural employment, insurance and nuclear energy.He also blamed the opposition for the absence of discussion on air pollution in Delhi-NCA, claiming that the govt was keen for it but Congress wanted to continue with loud protest against the Viksit Bharat Guarantee for Rozgar and Ajeevika Mission (Gramin) (VB-G RAM G) Bill and persuaded other opposition parties as well.Rijiju, however, termed the session as “very productive” as eight bills were passed after debates in both Houses. These legislations will “speed up” the ‘reform express’ flagged off by Modi to bring improvement in the everyday life of the common people. The reform express will continue, he added.”But the opposition’s behaviour during the debate in Lok Sabha on Viksit Bharat Guarantee for Rozgar and Ajeevika Mission (Gramin) (VB-G RAM G) Bill was unacceptable. Some of the opposition members even stood atop the desks of the table office and (Lok Sabha) secretary general. Some Congress members also conveyed that there was no need for a debate on pollution. That is why the issue could not be taken up for discussion,” he said.In Lok Sabha, Birla noted that the House’s productivity topped 111% and was marked by a marathon discussion of over 11.30 hours to commemorate 150th anniversary of Vande Mataram.