The Hindu : National : Parliament stalled over Jharkhand

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Thursday, Mar 03, 2005

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Parliament stalled over Jharkhand

By Our New Delhi Bureau

NEW DELHI, MAR. 2. Proceedings in Parliament were stalled for the second day today — this time over the National Democratic Alliance (NDA) not being invited by the Governor of Jharkhand to form the government.

While the Rajya Sabha was adjourned for the day soon after it met in the morning without conducting any business, the Lok Sabha Speaker, Somnath Chatterjee, refused to yield to the Opposition demand for a day's adjournment till afternoon.

Repeatedly stating that he would not allow the House to be held hostage, Mr. Chatterjee adjourned proceedings for short durations thrice. He finally called it a day 45 minutes into the post-lunch session after the Opposition — which picketed the well right through — raised its chorus of protest to drown the ruling benches' effort to move the motion of thanks on the President's address.

Charge levelled

The Jharkhand issue was raised by the Opposition in both Houses as soon as they met for the day. Amid protests from the ruling benches, the Leader of the Opposition in the Lok Sabha, L.K. Advani, said the Constitution was being violated. Citing the Sarkaria Commission recommendations, which said Raj Bhavans should not be used to subvert the Constitution, he said the Government should ask the Governor, Syed Sibtey Razi, to behave properly. Responding, the Parliamentary Affairs Minister, Ghulam Nabi Azad, said there was no question of any Raj Bhavan being misused under the United Progressive Alliance (UPA) Government.

Turning down the demand for a discussion, Mr. Chatterjee sought to take up Question Hour, but the Opposition, demanding an adjournment, laid siege to the well till he gave in. His repeated appeals to the Opposition to use the motion of thanks to make their point on the Jharkhand situation fell on deaf ears. Mr. Chatterjee however got papers listed for the day tabled. The Government also managed to introduce the motion of thanks.

Earlier in the day, amid persistent slogan shouting by Bharatiya Janata Party members, which was countered occasionally by the treasury benches, the Chairman, Bhairon Singh Shekhawat, adjourned the Rajya Sabha for the day, upset by the conduct of the members. "Unparliamentary words are being used to raise slogans. I sought cooperation from both the sides. It is not possible to run the House in this manner," he observed.

The day began with sharp exchanges between the Congress and the BJP members when former BJP president, Venkaiah Naidu, tried to raise the issue without any notice before Question Hour. Mr. Shekhawat said he should have given notice but rules did allow a member to raise an issue if permitted by the Chair. For several minutes, there were vociferous protests from both sides. The NDA members were joined by Samajwadi Party and Telugu Desam Party members, while Congress members waved the list of questions demanding that Question Hour be taken up.

Mr. Naidu said that after Goa, Jharkhand was another example of the undemocratic attitude of the UPA Government. He said Uniion Ministers were not attending Parliament and were in Jharkhand to issue threats. When Mr. Shekhawat asked senior Congress leaders Pranab Mukherjee and Shivraj Patil if they wanted to reply, several Congress members rose to their feet. Much of what they said was lost in the ensuing din, as the BJP members trooped into the well of the House raising slogans.

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