RS chairman urges Rijiju to 'echo' opposition demand to Home Minister Shah

New Delhi: The deadlock caused by the Opposition's firm stand that Union home minister Amit Shah should come to the Rajya Sabha and make a statement on the use of pellet guns during the July 20 NEET paper leak protests reached a crescendo on Thursday when Chairman CP Radhakrishnan defended Leader of the Opposition's view and "requested" parliamentary affairs minister Kiren Rijiju to "echo" and "reflect" these sentiments to Shah.

Rijiju charged that Kharge has been repeating the same lines every day from a written text that he brings with him to the House and is not letting the House function rattled the Opposition.

Read more: Delimitation Bill: Rijiju reaches out to Rahul again, gets no commitment


Citing Rule 240 of Rajya Sabha Rules of Procedure, Rijiju said: "Every day Khargeji gets up and reads the same thing that he has brought in writing. You give him regular opportunities and Khargeji says the same thing. This is repetition and this rule applies to him." He also took digs at new Congress MP Pawan Khera, saying he has not even made his maiden speech and has begun disrupting the House. He should first read the rules, the minister added.

As the Opposition became vocal, the Chairman warned Congress MPs to maintain decorum. "You cannot force the Chair this way. I have called him (Kharge) several times... I have called him so many times... 15 times," he said. As Congress MPs returned to their seats, he called Kharge to speak but adjourned the House in a few seconds.

When the House met at noon, Radhakrishnan called Kharge to respond to Rijiju's charge. "Now I have to learn from Rijiju. I am also citing rules. He comes to your chamber and says every day I come with a written text and read it out. If I don't read that matter, shall I read what you give me," Kharge said, pointing at Rijiju.

Read more: "No one takes Rahul Gandhi seriously; no wrong was done": Piyush Goyal on Lok Sabha LoP's remarks against Amit Shah

"I will decide what to speak, when to speak and how to speak. This is the rule book and what it says... You are insulting a member, Pawan Khera... We are only asking the prime minister and home minister to come and make a statement... I request you, sir. You direct the home minister to come here and make a statement... You can direct me. He has no authority to direct me," Kharge said to the Chair.

When Rijiju persisted and countered Kharge again, repeating the charge, things came to a head. "You cannot give direction to the Chair. You can only request, demand but you cannot dictate," Rijiju said. The Chairman intervened and backed Kharge's demand.

"Now, I request you to consider his request that he requested the home minister to come to the House. You represent it to him... As parliamentary affairs minister, you can echo the sentiments of the Opposition to the HM," Radhakrishnan told Rijiju, adding: "...As minister of parliamentary affairs, you have to reflect these sentiments to the HM. That is my request."