Anna detention throws Parliament out of gear

New Delhi, Aug 16 (PTI) The issue of detention of activist
Anna Hazare and his supporters led to pandemonium and frequent
disruptions in Parliament with the Opposition demanding
immediate discussion on the matter suspending the Question
Hour.
The government objected to the demand throwing the Lok
Sabha (lower house of Parliament) into turmoil, while the
Rajya Sabha (upper house) witnessed ruling party members
opposing permission by the Chair to Leader of the Opposition
Arun Jaitley to raise the matter.
When the Lok Sabha met for the day, Speaker Meira Kumar
informed the House that suspension of Question Hour notices
had been given by Leader of the Opposition Sushma Swaraj, CPI
leader Gurudas Dasgupta and JD(U) member Sharad Yadav among
others.
They wanted an immediate debate on the detention of Hazare
and on the larger issue of corruption.
While the Rajya Sabha was adjourned till noon, the Lok
Sabha witnessed two adjournments - first till 11.30 am and
then till noon.
The Lok Sabha Speaker disallowed the notices for
adjournment motion given by Yogi Adityanath (BJP) and
Shailendra Kumar (SP) on Hazare and some issues related to
Uttar Pradesh.
She said there was no provision for suspension of Question
Hour in Lok Sabha but asked the members making this demand to
"briefly touch upon the subject".
However, when Swaraj rose to speak, Parliamentary Affairs
Minister P K Bansal intervened and said, "My submission is
that the government is prepared for a discussion at 12 (noon).
They make their point and then the House is disrupted..."
He insisted that if Swaraj is allowed to speak, the Home
Minister should also be allowed to make a statement.
Agitated members of BJP, JD(U), CPI-M, CPI, SP and BSP
were on their feet objecting to Bansal's comments.
Congress members too were on the feet and demanded that
the Question Hour be held.
Sanjay Nirupam (Cong) said his party was objecting to
opposition parties supporting those going against democracy.
The Speaker then adjourned the House till 11:30 am.
When the House reassembled, similar scenes were witnessed
and the Chair adjourned it till noon.
In the Rajya Sabha, ruling Congress members prevented
Leader of the Opposition Arun Jaitley from making a statement
on the detention of Hazare and forced adjournment of the House
for an hour.
When Chairman Hamid Ansari took up the first question as
soon as the House met for the day, Jaitley rose to make a
statement.
"Let us hear the Leader of the Opposition," Ansari said as
ruling party members stood up demanding that the Question Hour
be taken up first.
At this, opposition members shouted back at the ruling
benches, plunging the House into turmoil.
Minister of State for Parliamentary Affairs Rajeev Shukla
said Home Minister P Chidambaram will make a statement at 12
hours on the detention of Hazare.
But this failed to pacify the opposition members and the
din grew louder with ruling party members raising their pitch
against Jaitley being allowed to speak.
"This is not right. Please allow the Leader of the
Opposition to speak," Ansari said, and asked members to resume
their seats.
"Has the government decided that House will not function.
Will the government not allow the House to function," Jaitley
asked, pointing out that the Chairman has given him the
permission to speak.
"Does the ruling party want that the House should not
discuss serious issues facing the country," he posed.
"We express anguish and protest over murder of democracy
both outside the House and inside the House. They want to
murder the right to protest," he said.
As the ruling benches continued with the protests, Ansari
said, "It is established practice that when Leader of the
Opposition wishes to speak, we given him an opportunity."
"This is very wrong. This is not right," he said as some
of the ruling party members moved into the aisles.
Minister of State for Parliamentary Affairs V Narayanasamy
too got up to make a statement but his voice could not be
heard in the din and the House was adjourned till noon.