RS descends into pandemonium over JPC leak debate
The Rajya Sabha failed to transact any business in the first half as the Budget Session resumed after a month-long recess on Monday, with the Treasury and Opposition benches haggling over technicalities for conducting a discussion on the leaked 2G JPC draft.
After reading the obituary references and congratulatory messages, Rajya Sabha Chairman Hamid Ansari said he had received eight notices from leaders of different parties for suspension of the Question Hour on different issues. He added that he has admitted the notice of V Maitreyan regarding the CBI role in coal scam, it being the first in point of time of receipt.
As Ansari asked Maitreyan to move his motion, Tiruchi Siva (DMK), Satish Chandra Mishra (BSP) and S S Roy (TMC) objected. They wanted their notices to be taken up as the Chair had already fixed 2 pm for a discussion on increasing number of rapes.
Pandemonium ensued and the Chair first adjourned the House for 15 minutes. When the House reconvened, Siva insisted that there should be an immediate discussion on the issue of 2G JPC draft leak, with BJP Deputy Leader of Opposition Ravi Shankar Prasad backing it.
Ansari, however, said the draft leak discussion could be held after the one on violence against women.
Meanwhile, Minister of State for Parliamentary Affairs Rajiv Shukla said “leakage of JPC, PAC and CAG reports” should be taken up together as everything involved parliamentary proceedings.
A provoked Arun Jaitley said every conceivable institution in the country was being destroyed. He said if the minister wanted to move a motion against the CAG, then that should be placed before the House first. With the Opposition insisting on the suspension of the Question Hour, the Chair asked for a voice vote. But then the Opposition sought for a division. Ansari proposed that the discussion could take place after other debates. As the Question Hour ended, Ansari was succeeded by P J Kurien, but he could not conduct the proceedings as BJP and AIADMK members trooped to the Well of the House.