Opposition attempted to lower decorum of House, mislead nation: Kiren Rijiju on Rajya Sabha ruckus

New Delhi, August 5

Speaking to reporters outside Parliament, Rijiju mentioned that the ruckus erupted in the House when they raised objections to Rajya Sabha Leader of Opposition (LoP) Mallikarjun Kharge's letter to the Deputy Chairman during discussions.

"The opposition has alleged that the government deployed personnel from the Army, police, and CISF. However, the Chair clarified that no external military or police forces were deployed; only the House marshals were present. As per the rules, only marshals are allowed inside the Parliament. Apart from marshals, only members and staff are permitted entry. The opposition spread falsehoods through the media... They attempted to lower the decorum of the House and mislead the nation," the Union Minister said.

"Today marks the start of the third week of the session. In these days, we haven't been able to pass a single bill. We passed a Shipping Bill in the Rajya Sabha, and in the Lok Sabha, we passed the statutory resolution on President's Rule in Manipur, which we will pass in the Rajya Sabha today," he said.

The Union Minister appealed to the Opposition to allow the smooth functioning of the House.

"We will be bringing more bills forward, but before that, I appeal to the main opposition parties not to obstruct bills and other parliamentary work. The people of the country have sent us to Parliament so we can work for them," Rijiju said.

Earlier in the day, Leader of the Rajya Sabha JP Nadda and Leader of Opposition Mallikarjun Kharge were involved in a verbal spat on Tuesday over the alleged deployment of CISF personnel inside the House.

Mallikarjun Kharge, on behalf of the opposition parties, alleged that the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) deployed CISF personnel near the well of the House.

Kharge said, "We are astonished and shocked at how CISF personnel are made to run into the well of the house, when the members were exercising their democratic right of protest. We saw this yesterday and again today. Has our parliament been reduced to such a level? This is most objectionable, and we condemn it. We expect that in the future, CISF personnel will not come trooping into the well of the house when members are raising important issues of public concern."

However, Rajya Sabha Deputy Chairman Harivansh refuted the claims made by Kharge and stated that it was not the CISF personnel but the Parliamentary security.

JP Nadda, replying to this, said, "You have made it clear that disrupting proceedings is undemocratic. If I am speaking and someone comes beside me shouting slogans, that is not democracy. This is not the proper way to function. I myself have been in the Opposition for a long time, and I would say--take tuition from me on how to work as the Opposition, because you'll be there for the next 40 years."

Slamming the opposition, Nadda said that their behaviour is not only undemocratic, but an attempt to create anarchy.

"Their idea of democracy ends the moment they leave their seats and start disturbing a member of the ruling party who has the right to speak. This is not only undemocratic, but an attempt to create anarchy," he said.

— ANI