You are not Modi’s Speaker, says TMC leader to Sumitra Mahajan amid ruckus in Parliament

New Delhi: Trinamool Congress MPs created ruckus in Parliament on Wednesday leading to adjournment of both the Houses.

MPs protested loudly, shouting slogans and holding placards a day after scuffle with members of the ruling BJP in the House.

Trinamool MPs gathered in the Well of the house and stalled House proceedings by shouting slogans. They were seen holding posters written, “Attack on Democracy.”

Lok Sabha Speaker Sumitra Mahajan repetitively reprimanded the MPs, warning, "Don't force me to get tough. I warn everybody, placards are not allowed. You won't listen to the Speaker?"

TMC had decided to move a privilege motion against BJP over Tuesday's scuffle.

Anguished by repeated protests and a Trinamool Congress member telling her that she was "not the Speaker of Narendra Modi", Sumitra Mahajan today pulled up some members for their conduct, telling them bluntly that if they failed to maintain the dignity of the Chair, it is a "more serious matter."

Observing that such actions "hurt" the sentiments of the House, a visibly hurt Speaker said the question was one of dignity and decorum of the House and what has happened was "extremely unfortunate".

Mahajan's strong observations came soon after fresh protests by Trinamool Congress members, who rushed into the Well, and its leader Kalyan Banerjee telling Mahajan "you are not Speaker of BJP, you are not the Speaker of Narendra Modi."

"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," she said, deprecating the use of "unbecoming" language, raising slogans and showing placards in the House.

"It is a more serious matter if someone does not want to maintain the dignity of the Chair," she said, adding, "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 appealed to 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," she told the MPs, adding that maintaining 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."

Earlier, Banerjee made some objectionable remarks targeting the Speaker, saying "you are not Speaker of BJP, you are not Speaker of Narendra Modi", as the entire ruling coalition stood up and strongly protested against the comments leading to adjournment of the House.

Banerjee later apologised in the House, saying, "If I have hurt your sentiments, I am very sorry."

When Banerjee apologised, the Speaker suggested that he should say sorry to the House as she has been chosen as the Presiding Officer by the House.

"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 said.

She said, "My appeal to all honourable members is 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."

The Speaker said the whole nation was watching on how Parliament conducts itself.

She said it was most important that members conduct themselves with decency and discipline. Members' attention is drawn daily towards the rules and regulations in Parliament through bulletins.

After the Speaker's observations, Congress leader in the House Mallikarjun Kharge said, "I request you (TMC) to resolve this issue." 

It was one of the most unsavoury scenes on Tuesday that the Lok Sabha had ever witnessed, as Opposition Trinamool members and ruling BJP members came almost on the verge of physical clash following which the two sides accused each other of using abusive language against each other.

The scuffle sealed the fate of the House in the post-lunch session, as it could not transact any business, including a discussion under rule 193 on price rise.

Apparently, seeds of “such an unsavoury brawl” were sown during the fag end of railway minister Sadananda Gowda’s rail budget speech, as agitated TMC members trooped to the well shouting slogans like “Prime Minister Narendra Modi murdabad” and “Rail Budget Wapas Lo (take back rail budget)”.

They were apparently upset with railway minister not rolling back the recent rail fare hike and according to them “nothing was given to West Bengal”, the state which the party rules.  The House was adjourned. When the House re-assembled, agitated TMC and AAP members again trooped into the well opposing the budget.

While TMC members were raising slogans, BJP members raised counter slogans from their seats like “abki baar Modi sarkar (this time Modi government)”.

TMC’s Kalyan Banerjee was seen rushing out of Parliament shouting that a drunk BJP MP had threatened to beat up his party colleagues and misbehaved with woman MP Kakoli Ghosh. However, BJP has denied the allegations.

West Bengal Chief Minister and party president Mamata Banerjee said on Tuesday, "Whatever happened (in the Lok Sabha) is unfortunate. The language used against our woman MPs and me is not correct. I am disgusted."

Talking about Rail Budget, Banerjee said, "Bengal has been given nothing. Are we beggars?"