dhankhar: Jagdeep Dhankhar tries to start short duration debate under rule 176; oppn forces adjournment

Rajya Sabha Chairman Jagdeep Dhankhar unsuccessfully tried to start a Short Discussion on Monday on the Manipur situation in the post-lunch session. The Opposition vehemently opposed this with members rising to their seats and shouting slogans to demand that Prime Minister Narendra Modi come to the House and make a statement on the issue, leading to adjournments and frustration that undertake any large business.

To press the demand, 65 INDIA members of the Opposition submitted a notice under Rule 267 for suspension of the listed business to hold a discussion in Manipur. When the House met for the day, Dhankhar reiterated his decision that he had accepted on July 20, the notice for Short Term Discussion under Rule 176 on this issue and only the date and time for one had to arrange

Leader of the House, Piyush Goyal, said the Opposition was “making a mockery of parliamentary practices” and would not agree to a discussion in Manipur when the government was ready for it. “They have ruined nine days. I wonder what message they are trying to convey… Are they running away from a debate? We want a discussion to start in Manipur at 2 pm today.”

Twenty members have given notice under Rule 176 for discussion in Manipur before the start of the monsoon session of Parliament on July 20. These include AD Singh (RJD), John Brittas (CPI-M), Javed Ali Khan (SP) , Manoj Kumar Jha ( RJD), Fauzia Khan (NCP), AA Rahim (CPI-M), V Sivadasan (CPI-M), Ranjeet Ranjan, GC Chandrashekhar, Phulo Devi Netam (all three Congress), and E Kareem ( CPI-M).

However, they maintain that they gave notice before the controversial video of two Kuku women paraded naked on July 19 surfaced. Since then they have been demanding a discussion in Manipur under Rule 267. But the Chairman maintained that he granted the earlier demand for Summary Hearing under Rule 176.

On Monday, Dhankhar said Rule 267 “should be invoked only in rare cases” and the last time was in 2018. He stressed that since the government had agreed, the discussion could start at 2 pm. Leader of the Opposition, Mallikarjun Kharge, lamented that the INDIA parties were raising this demand for discussion under Rule 267 every day, but the Speaker was ignoring it. “Manipur is on fire…,” he said. Dhankhar announced that the government is ready for a Brief Discussion at 2 pm and this is the way forward. As the slogan shouting continued, he adjourned the House. When the House met after lunch, the Opposition protested that since 65 members wanted a discussion under Rule 267, it should be accepted. They said that the Opposition members who had earlier sought a Brief Discussion withdrew it but Dhankhar insisted that his secretary had not received any such intimation. He stated that he rejected the Opposition’s request.

The Speaker tried to start the Short Discussion amid the protest and called on Birendra Prasad Baishya to start it. However, the Opposition strongly protested against it and the House was adjourned till 2:30 pm but the protests continued as the proceedings resumed. “No one can appreciate why the discussion is not taking place… You are not serious about the discussion in Manipur,” Dhankhar said. He invited floor leaders of all parties to his chamber and adjourned the House for an hour.

However, no consensus was reached and when the House reconvened, the Opposition demanded that the PM come and make a statement. Parliamentary affairs minister Pralhad Joshi intervened and said if the Opposition is serious about Manipur it should agree to have a discussion. As the protests continued, Dhankhar adjourned the House for the day.

Kharge sought time from President Droupadi Murmu for submitting a memorandum on the Manipur situation. The 21-member delegation of INDIA MPs who visited Manipur on July 29-30 and the floor leaders of the 26 parties that make up this coalition wanted to meet the President.