New Delhi: The Rajya Sabha was adjourned for the day on Tuesday amidst acrimonious scenes between the opposition and the ruling party with Chairman M Venkaiah Naidu visibly upset over aspersions cast on him.
This was the third adjournment of the House over the issue of draft National Register of Citizens in Assam which reportedly excluded over 40 lakh inhabitants as citizens.
AITC leader in the House Dereck O’Brien was heard questioning the earlier 10-minute adjournment announced by the chair after remarks made by BJP member Amit Shah on the Assam Accord signed by the then Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi led to a ruckus.
“It was decided then that a National Citizenship Register will be made. You did not have the courage to do it, we had it,” Mr Shah said and asked if the opposition members were with illegal immigrants.
This led to a pandemonium in the House prompting the Chair to adjourn the House for 10 minutes.
When the House reassembled, Mr O’Brien questioned the chair leading to the House being adjourned for the day.
“What is happening? You came prepared. You have had your say and now you do not want to listen to the Home Minister. You want to challenge the chair,” Mr Naidu told Congress and Trinamool Congress members who trooped into the Well of the House.
Earlier, Mr Naidu expunged remarks made by Bodoland People’s Front member Bishwajit Diamary after AITC member Sukhendu Sekhar Roy raised a point of order objecting to it.
Mr Diamary, who comes from Assam said no Indian citizen had been dropped out from the list and the over 40 lakh people who did not produce evidence was an inclusive list of all their family members including kids.
“Those dropped can apply again. Due process was followed that is why there is no agitation in the state,” he said.
The adjournment came before Home Minister Rajnath Singh could respond to members’ concern. Most opposition members including Leader of Opposition Ghulam Nabi Azad said it was a sensitive issue that should be treated in a humanitarian manner with onus on government to prove that someone was not a citizen of Assam. Some members said security concerns should be kept in mind as well.
Earlier at his ‘discretion’ Mr Naidu suspended the Question Hour to allow party leaders and members to speak on the NRC issue to which the Home Minister was to reply. (UNI)
