Lok Sabha Debates
Request To Discuss Issues Relating To Rss Activities And Political Development ... on 13 March, 2000
MR. SPEAKER: I have called Shri Somnath Chatterjee.
… (Interruptions)
SHRI VAIKO : You may kindly permit me also.
अध्यक्ष महोदय : आपका नाम भी है।
SHRI VAIKO : It is in the list.
MR. SPEAKER: I will call you later.
SHRI SOMNATH CHATTERJEE (BOLPUR): Sir, if we listen to each other, probably, we can transact business better. … (Interruptions)
We do not know whether really my friends on the other side want the House to continue or not. They are not able to control their Members. … (Interruptions)
श्री प्रकाश परांजपे (ठाणे):अध्यक्ष महोदय, हम चुनकर संसद में आए हैं, यह हमारा गुनाह है। हमने करोड़ों रुपए का नुकसान अपनी आंखों से देखा है। इनको बैस्ट पार्लियामेंटेरियन का एवार्ड मिला है।…( व्यवधान )
MR. SPEAKER: No. Please take your seat.
SHRI SOMNATH CHATTERJEE : I have not conferred any award on myself. It is the wisdom of some sections of the House to have decided it. It is not my crime. All the time, this hon. Member refers to that. Have I said that? … (Interruptions)
MR. SPEAKER: This is too much; it is unfortunate.
… (Interruptions)
SHRI SOMNATH CHATTERJEE : Do I have to take the permission of every hon. Member to speak?
MR. SPEAKER: It is unfortunate. You should not raise such things.
… (Interruptions)
SHRI SOMNATH CHATTERJEE : All the time, such comments are being made. How was it possible for me to do that? … (Interruptions)
MR. SPEAKER: You are not permitted to raise such things. Please understand that.
… (Interruptions)
SHRI SOMNATH CHATTERJEE : In the morning, I suggested that the Question Hour should continue.
SHRI PRAKASH PARANJPE : Thank you very much.
SHRI SOMNATH CHATTERJEE : Again, these types of comments are made. … (Interruptions)
श्री प्रकाश परांजपे : अध्यक्ष महोदय, मैंने तो माननीय सदस्य का धन्यवाद किया है। उन्हें अच्छा कहा है। इसमें मैंने क्या बुरा किया है।…( व्यवधान )
MR. SPEAKER: This is too much, Mr. Paranjpe.
SHRI CHANDRA SHEKHAR (BALLIA, U.P.): Mr. Speaker, Sir, the young and enthusiastic hon. Member should know that it is not his prerogative to thank the Members. Hon. Speaker can only thank or condemn anybody. He should know the basic rule of the Parliament.
SHRI SOMNATH CHATTERJEE : Mr. Speaker, Sir, so many criticisms are being made about the Opposition for what had happened last week or till a few days back. But today suddenly I find that the hon. Minister of Parliamentary Affairs has become very impatient and if I may say so, arrogant. This is not the way to treat the Members. I think, Shri Madhavrao Scindia was justified. We also heard the pontification of Shri Madan Lal Khurana.
Two issues agitated us and on both the issues, the entire Opposition was working unitedly, despite the differences of opinion amongst us on many issues. One was about the circular of the Gujarat Government on the RSS activities and the other was what had happened in Bihar. On both the issues, the stand of the Opposition has been justified. … (Interruptions)
श्री प्रभुनाथ सिंह (महाराजगंज, बिहार): अध्यक्ष महोदय, बिहार की स्थिति पर चर्चा कराइए।…( व्यवधान )
SHRI SOMNATH CHATTERJEE : The circular about RSS activities was withdrawn; and the Governor of Bihar had admitted – now Shri Sharad Yadav has also admitted – that something wrong was done in Bihar. Therefore, it cannot be said that we had taken up wrong issues. But there was no accommodation on the part of the Government. For seven or eight days, we did not see the face of the Leader of the House. It was commented upon also. The hon. Speaker had been trying every day to sort out the matter so that the House could function. But there was no response from the Government. We found out from the papers, which was corroborated by the hon. Speaker, that he tried to have a discussion with the hon. Leader of the House.
Now, to blame the Opposition for all this, is not fair, Shri Khurana. I do not like to remind you that your own leader, the present Prime Minister sat in dharna and for 12 days, you did not permit this House to function, when President’s rule was imposed in UP. Therefore, please do not look at that way.
Issues relating to Shri Sukh Ram and others have been mentioned; I do not want to do that. Fortunately, in this country, I find myself in the best position because I had never been in power at the Centre! You have – both of you – finished this country. … (Interruptions)
श्री मदन लाल खुराना: आपके व्यवहार से आपको सी.पी.आई, वाले भी छोड़ गए हैं।
…( व्यवधान )
SHRI SOMNATH CHATTERJEE : Why are you so much worried about us? … (Interruptions)
SHRI SUDIP BANDYOPADHYAY (CALCUTTA NORTH WEST): He has only finished West Bengal and not this country! SHRI SOMNATH CHATTERJEE : It is very good, Sir. According to Shri Sudip Bandyopadhyay, I have finished West Bengal and he has finished this whole country.
But the point is that there are still very important issues.
Let my friends say whatever they want to say, but the RSS issue cannot be put under the carpet. This is a vital issue affecting the country. The people are worried about it. We found even the Prime Minister is under pressure as to what has happened in Nagpur two days back. We are highly concerned about this issue. We shall go on raising this issue till a proper discussion is allowed. … (Interruptions)
DR. NITISH SENGUPTA (CONTAI): That discussion should also cover the West Bengal Government permitting its employees to join declared CPM front organisations, like the Coordination Committee or Non-gazetted Police Karamchari Association. … (Interruptions)
SHRI SOMNATH CHATTERJEE : Dr. Nitish Sengupta, did you join my party there? You were a bureaucrat in West Bengal. Then, why are you talking? … (Interruptions) Why should you interrupt me? … (Interruptions)
MR. SPEAKER: Please take your seats.
… (Interruptions)
SHRI SOMNATH CHATTERJEE : Dr. Nitish Sengupta was an officer working in West Bengal. Today, he is an M.P. from Trinamool Congress.… (Interruptions)
MR. SPEAKER: Nothing should go on record except Shri Somnath Chatterjee’s speech.
… (Interruptions)
SHRI SOMNATH CHATTERJEE : He was a bureaucrat in West Bengal. He has not been influenced by us. He has joined Trinamool Congress, although he wanted nomination from us. … (Interruptions) Mr. Speaker, Sir, I am requesting you most humbly to allow a proper discussion on this issue and also on what has happened in Bihar. Inviting a minority leader for the purpose of holding the Government for a week is a deliberate attack on the Constitution. It has a serious impact here. This is happening not once, but again and again. Therefore, these important issues should be discussed. I request you that sooner you take a decision the better it is so that the House can continue with other subjects. … (Interruptions)