The Rajya Sabha witnessed high drama soon after it assembled on Monday, with AIADMK member Sasikala Pushpa alleging that she was slapped by a “leader”, who wanted her to resign from her post.
She demanded protection from the Chair, wondering whether the government would assure her protection in view of a “threat” to her life. Even as the proceedings were on, she was expelled from the AIADMK by its general secretary and Tamil Nadu CM Jayalalithaa.
This happened days after Ms. Pushpa allegedly slapped DMK MP Tiruchi Siva at the Delhi airport. “I just want to say two things. Number one, for the past two days, everyone knows that something is going on in social media, which is related to the privilege of two MPs. That is why I am raising it here. I am getting unconditional apologies from Mr. Tiruchi Siva. He is a very decent person. Since he spoke about my party leader, I behaved in that manner just out of emotions. I am getting apologies from Shri Tiruchi Siva and also from DMK leaders,” she said. “Number two, I have a threat to life. I am being compelled to resign from my constitutional post....” The second statement was seen as an indirect attack on the AIADMK leadership.
“I express my gratitude to my leader for having given me this post... But I am being threatened to resign from this post. I will not do it. Where is women’s safety in this country, Sir? I was harassed yesterday. I was slapped yesterday,” she went on.
As Rajya Sabha Deputy Chairman P.J. Kurien said she should approach Chairman Hamid Ansari, she said: “Sir, I want to thank my leader. There is no doubt about it. She only gave me this post. But the thing is, can a leader slap an MP? Can a woman be harassed?”
Amid interruptions, Mr. Kurien asked Ms. Pushpa not to mention anyone who could not come to the House to clear the air.
Samajwadi Party’s Naresh Agarwal and Congress’s Ghulam Nabi Azad said she should be allowed to express her grievances in the House.
“She spoke about someone who cannot come here and defend. She did not say that any member has slapped her. She said that about somebody else. That is what I am saying,” Mr. Kurien said, reiterating that the Chairman and the government would protect her.
Urban Development Minister M. Venkaiah Naidu said: “A member has committed a mistake of beating another member. She has apologised. Now, she said something in the House. I am not going to join issue with her because she has expressed regrets... Secondly, if the member has got any problem with regard to her security, the best way, according to me, is writing to the honourable Chairman.”
