New Delhi, Feb 9 (IANS) Opposition members in the Rajya Sabha created a noisy uproar and shouted slogans on Monday, after Chairman C.P. Radhakrishnan firmly refused to allow discussion on an issue from the Lok Sabha. Leader of Opposition Mallikarjun Kharge attempted to raise concerns over the alleged denial of speaking rights to the Lok Sabha Leader of Opposition, Rahul Gandhi, in the Lower House.
The Chairman stood by his earlier ruling, reminding the House that matters concerning proceedings in the Lok Sabha cannot be debated or raised in the Rajya Sabha. He quoted a principle attributed to former Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru to reinforce the separation of jurisdiction between the two Houses and declined to permit any discussion on the matter.
The refusal sparked immediate protests from Opposition benches, leading to continuous sloganeering that disrupted the proceedings. The voice of Union Minister of Petroleum and Natural Gas Hardeep Singh Puri was completely drowned out by the din as he attempted to respond to a question during Question Hour. The ruckus continued despite repeated requests for order, halting normal business for a considerable time.
The Chairman reminded the House that he had already clarified the previous day: issues concerning proceedings in the Lok Sabha cannot be discussed or raised in the Rajya Sabha.
He ruled that the discussion would not form part of the official record.
Tensions escalated when opposition members, including those from Congress and allied parties, began shouting slogans. Amid the din, DMK MP Tiruchi Siva highlighted that he had submitted a breach of privilege notice against Union Minister Piyush Goyal for allegedly briefing the media on an India-US trade deal outside Parliament without laying the details before the House first.
The Chairman refused to halt House business to take up the privilege notice or related demands, prompting louder protests from opposition benches.
In a pointed remark amid the chaos, Chairman Radhakrishnan told the protesting MPs, “I respect you more than you do me,” underscoring his expectation of decorum while maintaining order.
He also said, “You cannot question the ruling of the chair.”
The repeated disruptions delayed proceedings and highlighted the ongoing friction between the government and the opposition over parliamentary rights, speaking opportunities, and transparency in major policy matters.
Opposition leaders insisted that silencing the Lok Sabha LoP and withholding key information from Parliament set dangerous precedents, while the Chair maintained strict adherence to rules separating the jurisdictions of the two Houses.
The incident comes at a time when both Houses are handling critical legislative business, and repeated adjournments or disruptions due to privilege and procedural rows have become a recurring feature of the ongoing session.
--IANS
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