‘Over 50 Visitors Were Able To...’: Oppn MPs Write To RS Chairman Dhankhar Over 'Political Sloganeering'

In their letters to Jagdeep Dhankhar, both Mausam Noor and Priyanka Chaturvedi expressed their dismay over the occurrence of "political sloganeering" within the confines of the Rajya Sabha.

Rajya Sabha members Mausam Noor and Priyanka Chaturvedi penned letters to Chairman Jagdeep Dhankhar registering their dissatisfaction with the "sloganeering" incident that occurred in the visitors' gallery of the House on September 21. The parliamentarians, representing the Trinamool Congress (TMC) and Shiv Sena (UBT) respectively, have called for immediate action to address the issue. 

In their correspondence to the Chairman, both Noor and Chaturvedi expressed their dismay over the occurrence of "political sloganeering" within the confines of the Rajya Sabha, despite the stringent security measures in place and the vigilance of marshals. They emphasised the gravity of the situation, highlighting that more than 50 visitors were able to engage in disruptive slogans during the incident.

"The fact that over fifty visitors were able to raise slogans is a matter of grave concern. In response to this serious breach, Members from the opposition parties walked out in protest," Trinamool Congress MP Mausam Noor wrote.

This incident unfolded on the afternoon of September 21, coinciding with a debate in the Rajya Sabha regarding the women's reservation bill. In protest, Opposition MPs had temporarily walked out of the House for a duration of 10 minutes.

The letters underscore the necessity for a thorough investigation into the security breach and decorum violation that transpired within the Rajya Sabha. The MPs stressed the importance of holding those responsible for the disruption accountable for their actions.

News agency PTI reported sources as indicating that other opposition parties are also contemplating correspondence with the Chairman concerning this matter. PTI's report mentioned an anonymous opposition leader revealing that the incident occurred during the women's reservation bill debate when female visitors in the gallery chanted "Modi, Modi," in appreciation of Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

Another senior leader, speaking on condition of anonymity, urged the presiding officer to "enforce rules and uphold parliamentary democracy", as per the report.

Previously, opposition MPs had united against derogatory comments made by Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) MP Ramesh Bidhuri against Bahujan Samaj Party's (BSP) Danish Ali. Several opposition MPs had written to Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla, demanding that the matter be referred to the privileges committee of the House.

The conclusion of a special parliamentary session on Thursday marked the shift of parliamentary proceedings to a new building. During this session, a landmark bill reserving one-third of Lok Sabha and legislative assembly seats for women was passed. A significant number of women had attended as visitors to witness this historic event.