Angry chairs in both houses snub unruly MPs

New Delhi, Dec 13 (IANS) A day after Rajya Sabha Chairman Hamid Ansari came under the direct attack of Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) chief Mayawati, chairs in both houses of parliament appeared firm and even aggressive, snubbing unruly members strongly.

In the Lok Sabha, the usually cool and composed Speaker Meira Kumar was visibly agitated when members of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and Shiv Sena demanded adjournment of the question hour to discuss execution of the death sentence of the 2001 parliament attack convict Afzal Guru.

Members of the two parties trooped near the speaker’s podium shouting slogans and demanding to hang Guru.

“Eleven years ago, on this day, 13 people had sacrificed their lives. They did not sacrifice their lives for this. I will not adjourn the house,” Meira Kumar fumed.

“I will not adjourn the question hour,” she said.

In the Rajya Sabha later in the day, Deputy Chairman P.J. Kurien was seen equally firm and annoyed at Samajwadi Party’s sloganeering against the quota in promotions bill.

The angry chair ordered eviction of two Samajwadi Party (SP) members and was even prepared to call marshals to forcibly remove them from the house. It was the protests of opposition MPs that stopped the chair from calling in marshals.

The Samajwadi Party members eventually walked out, but only after the deputy chairman had already named two of its members, Arvind Kumar Singh and Munawwar Saleem.

Mayawati Wednesday launched a direct attack at Hamid Ansari, holding him responsible for the non-functioning of the house which held up the quota in promotions bill.

Thursday morning, however, members of the Rajya Sabha got together in conveying their faith in the chair.

Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and Leader of Opposition Arun Jaitley, joined by Mayawati and other members, said they had full faith in the chair.

Mayawati, however. did not extend any direct apology for her behaviour the day earlier.

IANS 2012-12-13 20:48:07