CPI MP Binoy Viswam on Saturday wrote to the Rajya Sabha secretary general seeking access to CCTV footage of the proceedings on Wednesday when several Opposition MPs, including women, said they were manhandled by marshals while the government claimed it was the MPs who pushed.

Alleging that unknown persons were brought into the Rajya Sabha to help the government bulldoze the insurance bill, Viswam said: “Since then the government has used every avenue to portray a biased and concocted narrative against members of the Opposition. From the selective leaking of privileged property of the Rajya Sabha in the form of CCTV footage and internal documents to the filing of false allegations by the marshals alleging assault by the Opposition MPs, it is clear that the government is actively trying to mislead the country and whitewash its own draconian actions.”

Viswam pointed out that the footage was a property of the House and not the government and sought access to the full recording for Opposition MPs.

The CPI leader alleged that he, along with other Opposition members, was “physically manhandled and targeted by unknown personnel in Parliament”.

“Upon the devious attempts by the government to pass this anti-people bill, we exercised our right as parliamentarians to protest the same and it is only the bringing in of over 40 personnel, whose identity is unknown and suspect, that led to the chaos in the Well of the House,” he claimed.

He also alleged that there was a “deliberate move” to create multiple cordons of security, which resulted in members of the Opposition being manhandled.
Parliamentary affairs minister Pralhad Joshi had alleged that the Opposition members had manhandled marshals citing CCTV footage from the Rajya Sabha.

He had demanded that the Rajya Sabha Chairman constitute a special committee to probe the misbehaviour and indiscipline by Opposition members and strict action against them.

In his letter, Viswam said: “I was personally targeted by 4-5 of these outsiders who... grabbed hold of me and physically assaulted me.”

“In order for a fair and just probe into the incident, it is imperative that the Rajya Sabha not be turned into a political tool for the government and selective leaks related to the events of 11th August must be stopped immediately. Further, any probe into these events must abide by principles of justice and as such the complete footage of the house on 11th August 2021 be provided to the Members of Opposition against whom such allegations are being made in addition to all such complaints or other documents pertaining to them.’’

Chairman M. Venkaiah Naidu is said to have watched the footage on Saturday .