As the Opposition members continued their demand for a statement by Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Manipur, Rajya Sabha Chairman Jagdeep Dhankhar on Wednesday said he cannot issue a directive to the Prime Minister to be present in the House.
The Opposition members moved 58 notices under Rule 267 demanding a discussion on the conflict in Manipur, but the Chairman rejected the notices saying they were not in order. Rule 267 allows for suspension of listed business for the day to debate an issue suggested by a member.
Amid sloganeering from both sides Mr. Dhankhar gave the floor to Leader of the Opposition and Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge to speak.
Mr. Kharge said he had at least eight points on why the Prime Minister should come and speak in the House. One of the eight points, he said, was that 200 people had been killed in the State. To this, Mr. Dhankhar remarked that the floor was given to the Leader of the Opposition, but he did not utilise the opportunity “wholesomely”.
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This led to another round of protest by the Opposition members demanding the presence of the Prime Minister in the House.
Mr. Dhankhar said, “I had in categorical terms indicated very firmly on a proper constitutional premise and precedent that from this Chair I will be violating my oath if I impart a directive for the presence of the Prime Minister. That has never been done.”
He added, “If the Prime Minister wants to come, like everyone else, it is his prerogative. From this Chair a directive of this nature, which has never been issued, will not be issued.”
Amid the din, the Chairman went ahead with the scheduled Zero Hour. With the Chair not accepting their demand, the Opposition leaders staged a walkout.
Mr. Dhankhar said the members were not walking out of the House but from theur “constitutional obligation” and “performance of duty for the people”.
The Upper House witnessed similar scenes in the afternoon too. At 2 p.m, when the House met, the Opposition members raised slogans such as “Pradhan mantri sadan me aao, sadan me aake jawab do [Prime Minister come to the House and answer the questions)“. Amid the sloganeering, Deputy Speaker Harivansh invited Union Minister Pralhad Joshi to move the Mines and Minerals (Development and Regulation) Amendment Bill.
Mr. Kharge tried to raise his demand once again, but Mr. Harivansh made it clear that no other issue than the discussion on the Bill could be allowed to be raised in the House.
He also asked the Opposition to look at the Rules and Procedures on this and stop complaining outside that the Opposition leader’s microphone was turned off after a matter was disallowed from raising. The Opposition members continued their slogans even as BJD member Sasmit Patra started speaking on the Bill.
The Opposition members then walked out of the House. Later, the House passed the Mines and Minerals (Development and Regulation) Amendment Bill, the Forest Conservation (Amendment) Bill and the Jan Vishwas (Amendment of Provisions) Bill in the absence of the Opposition members.
“Only BJP, No LoP (Leader of the Opposition) is the Modi government’s strategy in the Rajya Sabha. This afternoon too Kharge-ji was not allowed to speak. He was not allowed to say why it’s important that the PM make a statement to the House on Manipur, followed by a discussion. INDIA (alliance) parties walked out in protest,” Jairam Ramesh, chief whip of the Congress in the Rajya Sabha, posted on X (formerly Twitter).
