Heated exchanges over Sushma Swaraj's remarks leads to Rajya Sabha adjournment

Opposition protests and their heated exchanges with BJP members led to the adjournment of Rajya Sabha today without transacting much business after External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj defended herself over allegations of impropriety as Congress members asked how could she give a statement without the Chair's permission.

No legislative business could be conducted through the day, as the House witnessed two adjournments before being adjourned for the day due to vociferous opposition protests seeking resignation of Swaraj and Rajasthan Chief Minister Vasundhara Raje for allegedly helping controversial former IPL chief Lalit Modi and Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan over the Vyapam scam.

While the House saw a full-throated debate on procedures after it met at 2 PM, it was adjourned for the day as strong disagreement prevailed on the issue between the ruling and opposition sides. Soon after the House assembled, Swaraj managed to speak a few sentences during Zero Hour saying she had not made any request to the British government for issue of travel documents to Lalit Modi and asserted that all allegations against her were "baseless and unfounded", amid thumping of desks by her party colleagues. She could not complete her remarks as slogan-shouting by Congress members led Deputy Chairman P J Kurien to adjourn the House for the first time till noon.

Congress members had moved into the Well the moment she rose to speak. Kurien also said the Prime Minister cannot respond unless a discussion, as demanded, gets started. Seizing on Kurien's statement, Leader of the House Arun Jaitley said Swaraj would make a statement to initiate the debate in the absence of unwillingness of Congress to initiate it. However, the continued ruckus led to the adjournment of the House.

When it met for the Question Hour at noon, Congress members were again on their feet demanding resignations of Swaraj and two other chief ministers. Some of them also demanded the resignation of HRD Minister Smriti Irani, who was present in the House at that time, on the row over her educational qualifications. 

When Chairman Hamid Ansari announced taking up of the Question Hour, Madhusudan Mistry (Cong) got up to raise a point of order questioning how Swaraj could make a statement without giving a notice and sought its expunction from the records. However, he was not allowed to speak any further. As disruptions continued, Ansari adjourned the House for the second time till 2 PM.

When the House reassembled, Mistry again raised the issue saying that mediapersons were calling Swaraj's remarks in the House as a statement when procedures required for making a statement had not been followed. He sought a ruling from the Chair and said Swaraj's remarks should not be made part of the records of the proceedings of the House.

Responding to Mistry, Deputy Chairman P J Kurien, who was in the chair, said he would examine whether Swaraj had made a statement or if she was reacting to what had been said by Deputy leader of opposition Anand Sharma.

Defending Swaraj, Leader of the House Arun Jaitley then said that if for two weeks "baseless allegations" were being made against the minister, then "she certainly has a right to respond." Not satisfied, Congress members pressed for their demand seeking a ruling with some of them moving in protest towards the Well, with some of them carrying placards asking the Prime Minister to "break his silence" and remove "tainted elements". Chiding the opposition members, Kurien asked how could they question the minister for speaking without the Chair's permission when they themselves were acting without his permission.

Congress MP Pramod Tewari and then, Deputy leader in the House Anand Sharma then stood up seeking a ruling into the matter, saying normally it is the Chair that calls for a Minister to make a statement.
In this case, he said Leader of the House Arun Jaitley had said that Swaraj will speak. He also suggested that the media be advised not to project her remarks as a statement till a ruling was given by the Chair. 

Sharma said there was a stalemate in the House because of the government's "arrogance". "This House cannot be in order unless issues have been responded to by the Prime Minister on fixing accountability and responsibility." Government is not serious, he said demanding a response from the Prime Minister. Kurien said "unless you start the discussion, Prime Minister cannot respond."

This moment was seized upon by Jaitley who said if Sharma was unwilling to initiate a discussion, Swaraj will make a statement to start the discussion. He also said if Swaraj's statement is expunged from the records, all allegations against her made by the opposition without the Chair's permission should also be struck off.

Kurien said though no permission for a statement was sought but asked why could Swaraj not reply to charges against her. "Why do you worry if she replies," he asked agitated opposition members. Kurien however added that Swaraj's remarks could not be considered as a statement by a minister in the House.

CPI(M) leader Sitaram Yechury raised a point asking if a motion moved by a member could be made public by the Leader of the House before it is admitted by the Chair. When he said the Leader of the House had done so, Jaitley quoted rules to defend his stand and maintained there was no violation of norms.

JD(U) member K C Tyagi then stood up and said Agriculture Minister Radha Mohan Singh had made "insensitive" statement by saying that farmers were committing suicides because of "failed affairs and impotency". He said the farmers' sentiments had been hurt and the Minister should be called to the House to explain. Naresh Agarwal (SP) also expressed similar views.

All through this, Congress members continued with their protests on procedures related to Swaraj's comments, shouting slogans in the Well, forcing Kurien to adjourn the proceedings till tomorrow.