Uproar in RS over Azhagiri’s absence

NEW DELHI: There was uproar in Rajya Sabha on Friday over Union chemicals and fertiliser minister MK Azhagiri���s absence from the House when questions related to his ministry were taken up during question hour. BJP and AIADMK members pointed out that DMK���s Azhagiri was present in the House, but left when questions related to his ministry were asked. BJP began the protest but was soon joined by V Maitreyan of the AIADMK.

As soon as minister of state for chemicals and fertilizers Srikant Jena answered the first supplementary question, BJP members stood up to question Mr Azhagiri���s absence. Ms Najma Heptulla of the BJP sought to know from Rajya Sabha chairman Hamid Ansari whether Mr Azhagiri and railway minister Mamata Banerjee, who was also not present when questions related to her ministry were asked, had given notices to him about their absence. BJP���s Arun Jaitley said Cabinet ministers should be present in the House when question hour was on. The BJP contended that there was not even a single Cabinet minister present in the House when the three questions were taken up.

Union health minister Ghulam Nabi Azad replied to BJP���s objections saying all ministers were equal and pointed out that ministers of state were present in the House when questions related to their ministries were taken up.