New Delhi: As Congress members refused to relent and continued their protests on Thursday, Rajya Sabha Chairman M. Venkaiah Naidu condemned their behaviour and asked them to maintain the dignity of the Upper House.
“Follow ‘maryada’ (dignity)…follow the rules…I condemn your behaviour…I have to…Don’t force me to do that..You go to your seats…go back,” Naidu remarked during Zero Hour when the Congress members trooped near the Chairman’s podium protesting Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s allegations against his predecessor Manmohan Singh.
The Congress members also raised the issue of acquittal of all accused in the 2G spectrum allocation case, saying the court judgement vindicated UPA’s stand that there was no scam in the allocation of spectrum and licences to telecom companies.
After laying the papers, Naidu allowed Leader of Opposition Ghulam Nabi Azad to raise his matter.
Azad while seeking clarification from the Prime Minister over his remark that Manmohan Singh and others, at a dinner meeting, discussed the Gujarat Assembly election with Pakistani diplomats, also raised the issue of acquittal of all accused in 2G spectrum allocation case.
Naidu urged Azad not to raise the matter as he has not given any notice.
“You can’t raise any issue without giving a proper notice. I can’t go beyond the rules. House functions according to rules. If there is something serious the House will take it as priority,” Naidu said as the agitating members trooped near the Chairman’s podium.
“This has become a habit of a few people. The three-fourth of the House wants discussion but there are few who don’t want. This is not fair. You want to disturb the House by making allegations. There should be discussion rather than shouting,” Naidu said quoting from the remarks of former President and former Rajya Sabha Chairman Shankar Dayal Sharma.
He urged Azad to ask his party members to return to their seats.
The Congress members, however, returned to their seats but Anand Sharma from his seat rose to speak amid the din.
Responding to him, Naidu said, “I tried to find out a way and asked you to sit together. What more can I do. Please respect the democratic principles.”
“You (Congress members) ruled the country for so long…You have experience…Your behaviour is not good. You people are not ready to listen so I am adjourning the House till 2 p.m,” Naidu said and adjourned the House.
IANS