Strong protest in Rajya Sabha after naming of BJP, TDP members

The naming of 20 BJP members, who had trooped into the Well protesting Defence Minister A K Antony's statement on LoC killings, led to strong protests in Rajya Sabha with party MPs staging a walk out and staying away from the proceedings during Zero hour.

The entire Opposition came out in support of 22 members (20 from BJP and 2 from TDP), who were named by the Chair for 'gross disorderly conduct' in the House, and forced three adjournments in the pre-noon sitting.

Though Government managed to introduce two bills during Zero Hour amid din, members from other Opposition parties - AIADMK, CPI-M, SP, BSP JD(U) and AGP - did not allow further business saying it was not good that the House runs without the presence of the main Opposition party.

Naresh Agrawal (SP) suggested that Deputy Chairman P J Kurien should apologise, while V Maitreyan (AIADMK) demanded a ruling from the Chair on the issue.

Earlier, when the House met for the day, M Venkaiah Naidu (BJP) raised the issue saying such naming of members had never happened even when members from the ruling parties tore women's reservation bill.

"Why this discrimination? What is the rule? Naming of members of one party and showing discrimination (against others) is not acceptable. We denounce it," he said, adding the Bulletin had not named members of the ruling party who too had disrupted the proceedings over creation of Telangana.

"What is this practice? Who decided this?" he asked. "This is an insult and discrimination against main opposition party. This is infringement of our rights. I don't know if it has happened with your (Chairman Hamid Ansari's) knowledge."

Leader of the Opposition Arun Jaitley said never had expression of protests by several sections of the House figured in Rajya Sabha Bulletin.

He said the Bulletin did not name the ruling party member who menacingly marched towards a member of supporting party and another member who was in the Well over Telangana issue.