Nirendra Dev
What happened in Rajya Sabha reflects two things for sure- frustration and lawmakers jumping up on a House Reporter's table could not have happened without some planning.
New Delhi: It was a bad day for the Indian Parliament on August 10, Tuesday, as opposition members trooped over the Reporters' Table and hurled papers towards the chair while some others clapped and danced around the table and trooped into the well.
Congress member Pratap Singh Bajwa threw a file towards the chair menacingly while some opposition members from other parties sought to justify the manner of protest.
AAP member Sanjay Singh was one of them. Trinamool Congress floor leader Derek O' Brien said, – "Nobody wants to discuss farms laws in general. What we demanded was a discussion on a specific point of withdrawal of the three laws."
NCP lawmaker Majeed Memon tweeted: Unruly behaviour of opposition MPs in Rajya Sabha for farmers may not be desirable, but there seems no other way to wake up sleeping government to consider agitating farmers’ grievances."
From the government side, Parliamentary Affairs Minister Prahlad Joshi lashed out at the opposition parties.
Other BJP members such as Sushil Modi and K J Alphons also criticised the opposition.
"As a member of the House, I feel ashamed," said Alphons.
A former Bihar Deputy Chief Minister, Sushil Modi, said, "While I have seen such unruly behaviour in state legislatures, this was not expected in Parliament and in the House elders. The House will certainly take actions against these members."
Prophets of doom want 'negativity' to set in the country!!
What happened in Rajya Sabha on Tuesday, August 10, reflects two things for sure.
First, there is nothing but FRUSTRATION in the opposition camp, including Trinamool Congress, NCP, AAP and chiefly the grand old party, the Congress.
And the other is – the unprecedented scene of lawmakers jumping up on a table of House Reporter could not have happened without some planning.
“The move to jump on the table and throwing files at the chair might not have been planned, but it is certain, the plan was that they should do anything and everything to 'change the nation's headlines'. – It is the plan to be rowdy!”
BJP spokesperson Nalin Kohli later said, "Tell us honestly, you want to be a rowdy. But the Modi government will continue to work for the people."
Now, the reasons for frustration for Opposition parties.
The Olympic Medals, the revival of hockey and a Gold Medal – India has been rejoicing the positive vibes in the last few days. They wanted a 'conspiracy' to change the headlines.
There were other factors. On Monday, August 10, their bete-noire Narendra Modi created a few 'diplomatic' records for himself by presiding over the UNSC Open Debate.
Contrary to Lutyens' spin doctors working full time, the international reputation of Namo remains unaffected.
The United States, Russia and African Union – three major key players globally gave Modi enough importance in adopting the statement on Maritime Security.
As reported by 'Organiser', Russian President Vladimir Putin himself attended the meet, and so did US Secretary of State Antony Blinken.
The so-called 'threat' to Indian secularism and misinformation campaign have failed.
Pegasus was presumed to be huge, though most of it revolved around ifs and buts! Olympic medals changed all that.
India suddenly plunged into a positive spring-bolt as millions forgot the COVID-19 tragedy and scenes of thousands wailing inconsolably.
The OBC Bill was a master card, and that opened a new phase.
Lok Sabha returned to normalcy, and a vital Bill that directly impacts UP elections and the fate of parties like NCP (for Maratha Quota) and Samajwadi Party and BSP was passed.
Now, the very fact that a few Opposition members endorsed or at least virtually backed the conduct of unruly and errant members – dancing and clapping – showed the opposition parties' top leadership was perhaps aware of the gory turning events.
“Rahul Gandhi rushed to Jammu and Kashmir amid the Parliament session. Bajwa is known for being close to powerful sections in Congress. Is he also annoyed that Punjab Chief Minister Capt Amarinder Singh met Home Minister Amit Shah and is likely to meet PM Modi too? For Trinamool Congress, the entire show for a skirmish in Rajya Sabha was 'managed' by no less than party's floor leader Derek O' Brien. AAP member Sanjay Singh was very vocal despite having a handful of members. The Arvind Kejriwal-led party thinks it can play big in Uttar Pradesh and Punjab!”
But what is going on around them is sheer frustration.
The OBC Bill was a divider of the emotional bond between some opposition parties. The government also timed the Rajya Sabha debate on farm laws on Tuesday, August 11.
The Congress and other opposition parties want to deprive Modi and his 'credibility' of governance.
Again, much to their frustration, even the Assam-Mizoram border feuds did not stick to the Modi government's image per se.
There is more frustration as the NDA government has sent mixed signals to both the NCP and Uddhav Thackeray-led Shiv Sena.
The OBC Bill has given the BJP leadership advantage and deprived Sena and NCP to play up the reservation demand for Marathas as a potent electoral and populism issue.
The NDA also almost staged a coup or at least a ground by sending right feelers to Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister Jagan Mohan Reddy-led YSRCP.
YSRCP almost joined the union cabinet during the July 7 cabinet expansion.
The signals for Congress and other die-hard Modi-baiters such as AAP and Trinamool Congress is only frustration as the so-called opposition unity would remain a mirage.
Desperation has led them to such unfortunate conduct in the Rajya Sabha, and in the long term, they will regret the August 10 misadventure.
