Opposition creates ruckus over CISF presence in Rajya Sabha

Opposition parties created a ruckus in the Rajya Sabha on Tuesday (August 5) claiming that CISF personnel had last week replaced marshals inside the House, an assertion that was rejected by both the Chair and the government.

Protests by Congress and other Opposition members led to an adjournment of the proceedings till 2 pm in the Upper House.

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Kharge's letter criticised

Soon after the listed papers and reports were tabled during the Zero Hour (morning session), Rajya Sabha deputy chairman Harivansh Singh rued that the Leader of the Opposition (LoP) Mallikarjun Kharge had shared a letter written to him on August 1, objecting to the presence of CISF personnel in the Well of the House, with the media.

Harivansh said repeated disruptions in the House are a matter of concern. Without taking any names, Harivansh also chided the Opposition for repeatedly disrupting proceedings and not allowing non-INDIA bloc Opposition leaders to speak.

Harivansh also asserted that trooping into the Well of the House violated the sanctity of the House and justified the presence of CISF personnel inside the House.

The deputy chairman urged LoP Kharge to introspect whether the Opposition's recent conduct inside the Rajya Sabha is acceptable.

Who runs the House?

LoP Kharge took a swipe at Harivansh for "paying attention" to the Opposition and read out his letter on the presence of CISF in the House.

Kharge told Harivansh, "Should I ask you what Arun Jaitley and Sushma Swaraj, when they were LoPs, said about disruptions being a democratic right of the Opposition". And, then he asked, "Are we terrorists?"

As Harivansh tried to cut Kharge short, the Opposition continued to protest, which led to the House being adjourned.

Harivansh says the personnel were from Parliament security and rejects Kharge's charges even as the LoP demands that the Deputy Chairman's remarks should be removed from the record of today's proceedings.

Kharge reiterates that CISF personnel were present in the House and asks Harivansh, "Is this House being run by you or by Amit Shah".

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Nadda slams Opposition

Union Parliamentary Affairs minister Kiren Rijiju slams Kharge for "misleading the House" and writing a "wrong letter" to the Deputy Chairman while asserting that only Parliament security staff and not CISF personnel were present in the House.

Harivansh urges Leader of the House JP Nadda to speak. As Opposition protests, Nadda hails Harivansh for giving "historic" rulings today "which will be cited for years to come" to run the House.

Nadda says "disruptions are undemocratic", and tells protesting Opposition MPs, "I have spent 40 years in the Opposition, I advise you all to take tuitions from me on how to behave as an Opposition because you will be in Opposition for another 20 years".

Nadda slams Opposition for "spreading anarchy" and says the Opposition is riled because the Deputy Chairman is not allowing them to spread anarchy.

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Opposition demands equal voice

DMK MP Tiruchi Siva says if Leader of the House has a democratic right to speak in the House, Opposition MPs also have the democratic right to speak and be heard.

Siva points out that the personnel against whose presence Kharge raised objections were indeed from the CISF and "not the regular Parliament security staff".

Siva says just because the Deputy Chairman allowed the CISF personnel to be in the House, they can't be called Parliament security staff or marshals.

Harivansh cuts Siva midway through his intervention and adjourns the House till 2PM.