Advani’s outburst has govt red-faced

Ravi Singh & Vibha Sharma

Tribune News Service

New Delhi, December 7

In an embarrassment to the BJP-led NDA government, veteran BJP leader LK Advani today questioned the office of the Speaker (held by Sumitra Mahajan) and the Ministry of Parliamentary Affairs regarding repeated House disruptions. Describing these as “disgraceful,” he demanded to know as to who was running the House.

Peeved at the Lok Sabha being adjourned during Zero Hour, Advani, while remaining seated, was seen calling an official with the House Secretariat as well as Parliamentary Affairs Minister Ananth Kumar to inquire about the adjournment. By that time, the Speaker and a majority of the members had left.

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When the minister informed Advani that the House had been adjourned because of the din raised by the Opposition members, Advani, who is a member of BJP’s “Marg Darshak Mandal”, was heard telling him: “Both the sides (Opposition and Treasury benches) are party to it.” Visibly angry, Advani remonstrated that the House should have been adjourned sine die. “The Speaker and the Ministry of Parliamentary Affairs are not running the House. It is running on it own. It is a disgrace. I will raise the matter in public,” Advani said, even as Ananth Kumar was seen desperately trying to pacify him. The minister later claimed the veteran leader was upset over the Opposition’s conduct.

Both Ananth Kumar and Minister of State for Parliamentary Affairs SS Ahluwalia escorted Advani to his car. There was a ruckus in both the Lok Sabha and the Rajya Sabha with a strident Opposition refusing to budge from its stated position regarding a debate on demonetisation under Rule184 that entails voting. Prime Minister Narendra Modi left the Lok Sabha, about five minutes into Question Hour.

The Rajya Sabha was adjourned for the day with a united Opposition not allowing a discussion in the absence of the  Prime Minister, insisting that he be present. The demand was rejected by Union Finance Minister Arun Jaitley as “unreasonable”.