NEW DELHI: Just three days into the budget session of Parliament and Lok Sabha Speaker Sumitra Mahajan was forced to reprimand some members for their conduct while also reminding the House that failure to maintain the Chair’s dignity was a “more serious matter”. Noting that such actions “hurt” the sentiments of the House, a visibly anguished Speaker also said that the question was one of dignity and decorum of the House and what has happened was “extremely unfortunate”.
The Speaker’s remarks came after Trinamul MPs continued to stand in the Well and raise slogans despite her repeated pleas to them to return to their seats. They continued with their protests in the well despite the Speaker warning them that placards were not allowed inside the House and that she would be forced to be strict with them.
Trinamul member Kalyan Banerjee even said to Ms Mahajan: “You are not the Speaker of BJP, you are not the Speaker of Narendra Modi” while she was repeatedly appealing to the MPs to return to their seats.
As the entire ruling coalition stood up and strongly protested against the comments, the Speaker adjourned the House.
The Trinamul MP later apologised for his objectionable remarks later telling the Speaker, “If I have hurt your sentiments, I am very sorry.”
Ms Mahajan’s remarks on the need to maintain the dignity of the Chair came in the context of Mr Banerjee’s remarks.
The Trinamul MP later apologised for his objectionable remarks later telling the Speaker, “If I have hurt your sentiments, I am very sorry.”
After his apology, Ms Mahajan suggested that he should say sorry to the House as she had been chosen as the presiding officer by the House.
In her remarks, the Speaker noted: “The undignified conduct of some members since yesterday is extremely unfortunate. We all have been hurt by disruptions in the House during the last few days.”
Noting the use of “unbecoming” language, raising slogans and showing placards in the House, the Speaker observed: “It is a more serious matter if someone does not want to maintain the dignity of the Chair.”
She also stated: “It is not necessary that if someone shows disrespect to the dignity of the House, others should resort to disruptions. This is not in tune with the dignity of Parliament.” She also appealed to the leaders of all political parties to ensure that their members do not resort to undignified conduct and help in the smooth functioning of the House.
“It is not proper to stage a dharna in the Well of the House or directly or indirectly resort to undignified conduct,” Ms Mahajan told members.
while also noting that maintaining the dignity and discipline in the House was the duty of all members.
“In fact, the essence of democracy is self-discipline,” she said, adding, “When we spread disorder, then many unwanted things happen. Charges, counter-charges and unbecoming language is used. This hurts us all, the people of the nation and the democratic principles.”
The speaker’s entreaty to members to maintain the dignity of the House also came in the backdrop of yesterday’s scuffle in the well of the House between some Trinamul and BJP MPs.
Reminding members that, “People have voted us not for breaking rules and regulations, but to make laws in the interest of the people and the nation,” the speaker also appealed to them to “ resolve not to enter the well, not to show placards of any nature and raise the issues from seats allotted to them and help maintain the dignity of the House”.
Observing that the entire nation was watching Parliament’s conduct, the speaker said it was most important that members conduct themselves
with decency and discipline.
