LS Speaker asks officers to note names of protesting Congress MPs for breaking rules
The Speaker made it clear that no reference to the high court can be made in the House.
New Delhi: Exasperated by their continued protests, a peeved Lok Sabha Speaker on Friday directed her officials to note down the names of Congress members standing in the Well raising slogans against the government.
When Speaker Sumitra Mahajan disallowed notices of adjournment motion moved by some Congress members on certain actions of the Arunachal Pradesh Governor, Congress leader in the House Mallikarjun Kharge said a "new turn" has taken place following the verdict of the Gauhati High Court.
The Speaker made it clear that no reference to the high court can be made in the House. Parliamentary Affairs Minister M Venkaiah Naidu also urged the Chair to delete the reference made to the high court.
As the House took up Question Hour, Congress members trooped into the Well raising slogans and clapping to drown the voices of members asking questions and ministers replying to them.
As the din continued, the Speaker said members who want to raise issues should at least give "substantive" notice. "You raise slogans every day. Government can't take decisions and House cannot run like this," she said.
Apparently referring to Congress, she said, "With years of rule and presence in the House, you have experience...proceedings will take place as per rules and procedures."
The Speaker then directed the Lok Sabha secretariat officials to note down the names of Congress members – about 30 -- standing in the Well as they have "broken rules".
Amid continued uproar, the House continued with the Question Hour even as Speaker remarked that it "pains" her a lot when no notice is given and members raise slogans over issues.
When a BJP member urged the Chair to ensure order in the House, she quipped, “they have not read the rules. What can we do?"
During the Monsoon Session, 25 Congress MPs were suspended by the Speaker for five consecutive sittings for disrupting proceedings. They had been protesting for several days in the Well against the government over the Lalit Modi and Vyapam scams.