Mallikarjun Kharge, leader of the Opposition in the Rajya Sabha and Congress president, on Friday complained in the House that he was not being allowed to speak or seek clarifications on the Chinese aggression in the Tawang sector of Arunachal Pradesh.
Kharge cited a ruling by House Chairperson Jagdeep Dhankhar last week that said the leader of the Opposition (LOP), leader of the House (LOH) and former Prime Ministers who are members of the House would get permission to speak if they wish to.
However, Kharge said, deputy Chair Harivansh did not allow him to speak on Wednesday citing the absence of a notice. “I wanted to raise the important issue of Chinese aggression. Our army is fighting on the border. On 14th December, I wanted to raise it. Honourable deputy Chairman, you said that I cannot raise the issue because I had not given any notice,” Kharge said during Zero Hour.
“The Chairman has given his ruling that permission would be allowed if the LOP, LOH and former Prime Ministers rise to speak anytime. Then why did you not allow me to speak? I stood up that day in view of the sentiments of the nation and the House on Chinese aggression.”
Harivansh, who was presiding during Zero Hour, said he would have to check the records to see what had happened on Wednesday, but underlined that he had given Kharge the opportunity to speak on Tuesday on a notice he had submitted on the subject. “I have given you permission to read the notice on the topic. The notice for discussion was not allowed, yet I allowed you to read it,” Harivansh said.
On Tuesday, defence minister Rajnath Singh had made a statement in both Houses on China’s December 9 transgression bid in Tawang that led to a clash, injuring several soldiers from both sides. Before Rajnath’s statement, Kharge had moved a notice for discussion and was allowed to read out the notice. However, when members sought a discussion after Rajnath’s statement — such discussions are a convention in the Rajya Sabha after ministerial statements — Harivansh denied the demand saying the issue was grave and sensitive.
The Opposition has for the past two years been demanding discussions in Parliament on Chinese border aggression — first in eastern Ladakh, where the neighbour is said to have occupied about 1,000sqkm of India-claimed territory since May 2020, and now also in Arunachal. But the government has prevented any discussion.
On Friday, too, some Rajya Sabha members moved notices under Rule 267 for discussions on the Chinese aggression and the government’s alleged misuse of investigative agencies, Rule 267 provides for all listed business to be suspended. Harivansh rejected the notices saying they had not provided proper justifications for such discussion.
Opposition members rushed into the well in protest against the deputy Chair’s decision. BJP members from Bihar then began protesting the hooch tragedy in the eastern state, and the House was adjourned for 25 minutes.