Opposition today closed ranks in Rajya Sabha demanding recall of Arunachal Pradesh Governor Jyoti Prasad Rajkhowa, forcing three adjournments in the pre-lunch session as Trinamool Congress and Samajwadi Party staged a walk-out over the issue.
Protesting in the House for the fourth consecutive day on the issue, Leader of the Opposition and senior Congress leader Ghulam Nabi Azad said he has given a notice for adjournment of business to discuss the Arunachal Pradesh issue saying the central government was responsible for the stalemate in Parliament for the past several days.
The Governor, he claimed, called a session of the assembly without the consent or recommendation of the Cabinet and Chief Minister, set the agenda, decided on the seating arrangement, set the priority of items to be taken up including removal and its reporting to him.
This is "unprecedented" in the Indian history as neither the President of India nor any Governor had called a session of Parliament or Assembly without the Cabinet approval, he said.
"No President or Governor gave directions as to who will sit on Chair, what item will be taken up, who will be removed," Azad said.
The Opposition members charged the Governor with "unconstitutional" conduct after the Gauhati High Court put on hold all his decision including move to advance the winter session of the assembly by a month.
Deputy Chairman P J Kurien tried to conduct the listed business, calling members to make Zero Hour submissions but the slogan shouting drowned what the members said.
With members refusing to heed to his pleas, he adjourned the House till 1200 hours when Congress members trooped into the Well. When the House met again, members of Trinamool Congress and Samajwadi Party staged a walk out, while Congress members were again in the well. Expressing solidarity, members from AIADMK, CPI-M, and JD-U were also on their feet, shouting slogans "Recall Governor"
"We are doing a protest walk out," said Sukhendu Sekhar Roy of TMC. Kiranmoy Nanda of also said something before walking out, which was not audible in the din.
The Constitution has been "shredded to pieces," Azad
said.
Law and order is a state subject and the state government requisitions paramilitary as well as Army when situation so demands. But never is a requisition of paramilitary or army done by a Governor when an elected government is in office, the Leader of Opposition said.
Arunchal Pradesh has an elected government with two-third majority and yet the Governor called paramilitary forces and "regrettably the Centre accepted his request," he said.
When the proceedings could not take place in the Assembly as it was surrounded by hundreds of people, a parallel assembly sitting was held yesterday outside the assembly, he said.
Environment Minister Prakash Javadekar said the adjournment motion cannot be discussed if the matter is sub-judice or the motion is pending with the Chairman.
Azad said when every TV channel is discussing the issue, why can't Parliament discuss it.
The High Court, he said, has rejected Governor's call for assembly session and so the Governor should be recalled.
Kurien said Chairman Hamid Ansari has admitted the adjournment motion and only the question of timing is to be decided. "In view of this no further discussion," he said.
Minister of State for Parliamentary Affairs Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi said the statements on the Governor should be expunged from the proceedings.
Kesav Rao said the High Court ruling has vindicated that the Constitution had been violated. "If Constitution is violated in such a vulgar fashion, what is the House to do," he asked.
K C Tyagi (JD-U) said smaller parties are most vulnerable to such misuse of Constitution. "Have you ever heard of MLAs meeting in a dance bar", he said. "How can you hold meeting (of Assembly) in a restaurant?"
Kurien said the subject can be taken up when the motion is discussed and called for Zero Hour mentions.
A V Singh Deo (BJD) raise the issue of One-rank-one- pension (OROP) for defence personnnel in the din, while Sanjiv Kumar (JMM) sought rehabilitation of people affected by underground coal fire in Jharia. But their submissions could not be heard in the din.
As the din continued, the House was again adjourned for half and hour and then till 2.30 PM. However, Chairman Hamid Ansari persisted on taking up Question Hour and three listed questions were taken up in Rajya Sabha amid pandemonium.
"I think this matter was discussed in the first Hour. Let us get on with that. This may be an important matter but this is not the time for it. Please allow Question Hour," he said but his plea remained unheeded.
(Reopens PAR14)
As the House reconvened at 2:30 PM, Vice Chairman P J Kurien adjourned it till Monday due to lack of quorum within ten minutes of its assembling.
Most of the BJP and Congress members moved out of the House as the Bill to amend the Constitution (Scheduled Caste) Order 1950, moved by Vishambhar Prasad Nishad on April 24, came up for voting.
Union Minister Naqvi said voting on the bill cannot take place as there was lack of quorum.
Kurien then said "if the members do not want to attend and there is no quorum, what can I do", and adjourned the House for the day. There were 19 members in the House at that time, compared to a minimum of 25 needed for quorum.
This was the second time that Nishad's bill had come up for voting, as Kurien said the discussion on it has been completed and the Minister has also replied. He asked Nishad whether he was withdrawing the measure, but the BJP member insisted on a division to carry out voting.
On an earlier occasion too, voting on the bill could not take place due to lack of quorum.
Before the adjournment, Rajkumar Dhoot (Shiv Sena) introduced a Private Member's Bill for prevention of human deaths caused by heat stroke in summer and chilling cold during the winter and to seek declaring of heat and cold waves a national calamity.
He also introduced a Bill to provide for faster tracking and reuniting of children who go missing and for creation of special cells in police establishment to track such children.
He moved a third Bill for rehabilitation measures and payment of adequate compensation by central and state governments to the victims of acid attacks, sexually abused or raped or gang-raped and trafficked girls and women from weaker sections who are pushed tp work as domestic helps.
Anubhav Mohanty (BJD) introduced another private bill to provide for abolition of begging and rehabilitation of beggars.
(Reopen PAR25)
Later at the AICC briefing, Azad and Leader of the party in the Lok Sabha Mallikarjun Kharge attacked the government over the Arunachal "misadventure".
Azad remarked that any government which is serious about business in Parliament does not embark on "misadventure" of toppling an opposition government and raiding the office of a Chief Minister.
"All this signifies that government does not want Parliament to function as it is providing fodder to the opposition," he remarked.
He suggested that if the government wants to bring normalcy, the least it could do was recall the Arunachal Governor and instead appoint another who has "no political interest".
Matters would become worse if any RSS or BJP functionary is appointed to the post.
Reading profusely from the Guahati High Court order, Azad said the prima facie observations of the court have proved that the Congress objections to the bizarre political developments were correct.
