Rajya Sabha today saw a brief spat between JD(U) leader Sharad Yadav and Samajwadi Party member Naresh Agrawal during a debate on two bills providing for common entrance test to medical and dental courses.
Participating in the discussion on the Indian Medical Council (Amendment) Bill, 2016 and The Dentists (Amendment) Bill, 2016, Yadav rued that members of the Upper House were not raising the issues of donations and reservations in the private medical colleges.
"Socialist leaders (Ram Manohar) Lohia, Jaiprakash Narain, Raj Narain used to raise the voice for the poor. But now, there is no party, no leader who raises voice for the poor," the JD(U) leader said, adding "injustice is being meted out to the poor as private colleges charge hefty fees."
Agrawal objected to these comments, saying Samajwadi Party chief Mulayam Singh Yadav is a strong proponent of reservation.
"We all have asked what would be the reservation policy. I myself has asked this from the minister. If Sharad ji feels that only he or his party speaks on reservation, I condemn it," Agrawal said.
The SP leader added, "we all spoke about these issues (concerning the poor). But he speaks as if everybody else is dishonest and thief."
Yadav then told Agrawal that the SP leader had spoken only one sentence. He also charged that SP party leader runs a college.
Agrawal retorted by saying, "Should I narrate a long tale instead of speaking in one line?...I don't run (any) college. Do not have this misunderstanding. If you are a senior leader, I am also not less senior. You may rebuke your own party men."
Deputy Chairman P J Kurien asked the two members to desist from such an argument.
