Parliament Ruckus: Union Ministers Demand Action Against Opposition MPs Over 'Undignified' Conduct | 10 Points

Centre Vs Opposition: Union Ministers today held a joint press conference accusing the opposition of indulging in undignified conduct in the Rajya Sabha and demanded action.

New Delhi: There is a round of allegations between the treasury benches and the opposition. Today, former Congress President Rahul Gandhi and leaders of several other opposition parties along with some women MPs in the Rajya Sabha marched on foot from Parliament House to Vijay Chowk over the scuffle.

Rahul Gandhi termed the incident as a "murder of democracy". In view of the opposition's stance, union ministers held a press conference and levelled several allegations against the leaders. 

Here are 10 things to know about the ongoing tussle:

1. A day after the monsoon session of Parliament was adjourned indefinitely, Union Ministers today met Rajya Sabha Chairman and Vice President M Venkaiah Naidu. Parliamentary Affairs Minister Prahlad Joshi, Leader of the House in Rajya Sabha Piyush Goyal, and Deputy Leader Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi met Naidu at his official residence.

2. Union Minister Anurag Thakur stated in a press conference that the opposition should apologize to the country for what happened in Parliament during the monsoon session. He said the opposition's only agenda was to create chaos from the streets to Parliament.

3. Parliamentary Affairs Minister Prahlad Joshi said the Congress and its allies had already decided not to allow the Parliament to function. The Union ministers demand that the Chairman of the Rajya Sabha take strict action against the opposition MPs who broke the rules.

4. Piyush Goyal said the conduct of the opposition in the Rajya Sabha on Wednesday was the lowest level of parliamentary democracy. "The opposition is not able to digest the fact that the country has stopped trusting it. The opposition's attitude of my way or the highway is highly condemnable and the country also criticizes such a stand," he said. Rajya Sabha leader Goyal also asked for strict action to be taken against opposition MPs for their undignified conduct and pushing the Marshals.

5. Opposition parties met Rajya Sabha Chairman M Venkaiah Naidu after the march. NCP Chief Sharad Pawar tweeted, "A delegation of opposition parties today met Hon'ble Vice President M Venkaiah Naidu to express concern over yesterday's uproar in the Rajya Sabha. The delegation unanimously condemned the undemocratic behaviour of the Central Government during the meeting". 

6. NCP chief Sharad Pawar said: "In my 55-year parliamentary career, I have never seen such behavior towards women MPs in the House. More than 40 men and women were brought to the House from outside. It's painful. It's an attack on democracy".

7. Opposition leaders marched on foot from Parliament House to Vijay Chowk after the leader of opposition in Rajya Sabha Mallikarjun Kharge held a meeting in the chamber at Parliament House ahead of a meeting with Venkaiah Naidu. During this time, many leaders carried banners and placards. The banner read "We demand repeal of anti-farmer black laws".

8. The meeting of opposition leaders was attended by Kharge, Rahul Gandhi, Congress leader in Lok Sabha Adhir Ranjan Chaudhary, senior Congress leaders Jairam Ramesh and Anand Sharma, NCP chief Sharad Pawar, senior Samajwadi Party leader Ram Gopal Yadav, DMK's T R Baalu, RJD's Manoj Jha and leaders of several other opposition parties.

9. Former Congress President Rahul Gandhi said, "Parliament session is over. As far as 60 percent of the country is concerned, it was not a session for them because the voices of these 60 percent of people were suppressed, humiliated, and beaten up in the Rajya Sabha yesterday.'' "We demanded a discussion on the Pegasus case, the government refused," he alleged. "We raised the issue of farmers, inflation outside Parliament because we cannot raise it inside," he added.

10. BSP President Mayawati termed the impasse between Centre and opposition in the House as unfortunate. In a tweet, Mayawati wrote, "What happened in the recent stalemate between the power and the opposition in the parliament of the country and its upper house, the Rajya Sabha, is very unfortunate. I have seen many times in my long parliamentary life, bitter quarrels, tensions and strong opposition between power and opposition, etc., but I have never witnessed such a situation in Parliament".