Shiv Sena MP in the Upper House, Sanjay Raut, said the alleged physical bullying of MPs, including women, “felt like we were standing at the Pakistan border”.
Congress leader Rahul Gandhi and other opposition members today held a march outside the Parliament building to protest the abrupt conclusion of the monsoon session in both houses of the parliament, and an alleged assault on women MPs in the Upper House during the passage of insurance bill.
“Today we had to come out here to speak to you (the media) as we are not allowed to speak inside Parliament…. This is the murder of democracy,” Rahul Gandhi was quoted as saying by news agency ANI.
“First time ever in the Rajya Sabha… MPs were beaten, pushed around. The Chairman says he is upset… so is the Speaker. But it is their responsibility to ensure the House functions. Why have they not been able to do their job?” the Congress MP asked.
“The Parliament session is over. As far as 60 per cent of the country is concerned… there has been no Parliament. The voice of 60 per cent of the country has been crushed, humiliated and yesterday, in the Rajya Sabha, physically beaten,” Mr Gandhi added.
Shiv Sena MP in the Upper House, Sanjay Raut, said the alleged physical bullying of MPs, including women, “felt like we were standing at the Pakistan border”.
“Opposition didn’t get a chance to present their views in Parliament. Yesterday’s incident against women MPs was against democracy. It felt like we were standing at the Pakistan border,” Mr Raut said.
However, calling the opposition’s allegations “totally false”, Parliamentary Affairs Minister Pralhad Joshi said the the facts could be checked by viewing CCTV footage.
Chaos erupted in Rajya Sabha on Wednesday as the government tried to pass an amendment relating to an insurance bill. Several women Congress MPs alleged they were physically bullied by male marshals as they were protesting in the Well of the House.
Sharad Pawar, the NCP chief and MP in Rajya Sabha, later slammed the government, saying that in over a parliamentary career spanning 55 years he had never seen his women colleagues being attacked.
“It is painful. It is an attack on democracy,” the veteran leader said, adding that over 40 Rajya Sabha marshals (men and women) and security staff were deployed in the alleged assault.
Jairam Ramesh, Congress’ Chief Whip in the Rajya Sabha, later alleged that the amendment had been passed after a large security force was stationed inside the hall.
“The government refused to send it to a select committee… a demand by all opposition parties including those close to the BJP. What happened (then) was worse than atrocious,” he tweeted.
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