It is Smriti Irani vs all opposition

February 22: As the government braced for the Budget Session of Parliament and said it wants all issues, including the JNU row, to be discussed, the Opposition said it will allow only those Bills to be passed on which there was general consensus.

February 23: Meanwhile, the Centre on Tuesday rushed a BSF contingent to stand guard outside the gates of JNU as the university’s teachers and students pressed their demand to drop sedition charges against Kanhiya Kumar and five others who recently surfaced at the campus.

February 24: Wednesday witnessed the first of the two clashes of Mayawati and Smriti Irani. While Mayawati was hell bent on knowing about inclusion of Dalit member in panel probing Rohith’s suicide, HRD minister replied she would behead herself and leave her head at the feet of BSP chief if the latter was not satisfied with her answer.

February 25: The Rajya Sabha was adjourned on late Thursday evening after an uproar over remarks quoted by Union human resources development minister Smriti Irani which were considered derogatory by the Opposition benches.

February 26: A preliminary investigation report filed by the Madhapur police in the High Court on January 31 had stated that research scholar Rohith Vemula’s mother Radhika Vemula belonged to the Vaddera caste, a BC community.

February 27: However, Smriti Irani’s chest-thumping, high-pitched histrionics, rolling of her eyes and pointing of fingers at members during her dramatic speech did not go down well with the saffron high command. More trouble brewed for her as a combined Opposition on Saturday decided to move a privilege notice against her on the issue of Rohith Vemula.