Vice President Harivansh had offered tea to the suspended MPs after Sunday’s “chaotic” Rajya Sabha session.
New Delhi:
One of eight Rajya Sabha members suspended due to unprecedented chaos during a vote on two agricultural bills launched a scathing attack on Vice President Harivansh Narayan Singh, accusing him of trying to “appease Prime Minister Narendra Modi” with “red carpets. “in what he said. called anti-farmer legislation. In an open letter, CPI-M member KK Ragesh also accused Singh of political tricks and of “rushing to satisfy” the ruling BJP.
“Was your decision to allow the bills to pass amid such a strong outcry from members, while maintaining total disregard for rules and procedures, to appease the Prime Minister as well as to get into his good books?” KK Ragesh questioned in the scorching letter.
On Monday, Ragesh and seven other Rajya Sabha members spent a night on the parliament lawn after they were suspended for “rebellious behavior” during the passage of two farm laws on Sunday amid massive opposition protests. The entire opposition eventually boycotted parliament before the monsoon session ended earlier than scheduled.
Mr. Ragesh, referring to Mr. Singh serving tea to suspended members the morning after his nightly protest, said: “You can’t fool people with tricks all the time.” He also called the vice president’s position on the adoption of political equity “hypocritical.”
“It is surprising how a person like you, who claims to be a socialist, could show such a hypocritical stance, neglecting the actual incidents towards the adoption of political fairness,” read the PCM leader’s letter written on Wednesday.
Letter 23 also calls on Mr. Singh, an MP from Bihar, for writing to the president and vice president shortly after approaching them as a “colleague” over tea.
Singh had written to President Ram Nath Kovind and Vice President Venkaiah Naidu telling them that he will “observe a one-day fast … as he was distressed by the opposition attacks in the House” and claimed that he was “assaulted”.
In his letter, Singh had said that members of parliament can come and go, but the vice president’s office and the Rajya Sabha will remain and their dignity must be maintained. “Their behavior was very aggressive and they raised extremely indecent and non-parliamentary slogans. This disturbing scene of assault on democracy was playing in my mind and I could not sleep. I am an introvert by nature, a man of the people.”
“What happened in the House on September 20, what led to the protest was nothing more than your most undemocratic decision to reject the demand for split votes instead of voice vote … (do) you feel? proud to pass such important legislation neglecting the strong protest of the opposition parties and ignoring the procedures, “he questioned in the letter, wondering if the deputies could simply behave as spectators.
“… you may recall when I had appealed, I returned to my seat and repeatedly raised the request for split votes. But strangely, by ignoring my appeal, you asked for a voice vote … I should have adjourned the session of the Chamber … and we took up business that led to a healthy discussion, rather than rushing … to satisfy the treasury bank … Do you remember that he refused to even open our microphones, neglecting our appeal to allow our rights to us under the Constitution as deputies and passed to the red carpet of bills against farmers, “he added.
Singh became the target of the opposition’s ire on Sunday when he rejected their calls for a vote to refer the farm bills to a select committee for further scrutiny and also refused to extend the discussion. The opposition accused him of helping the government pass the bills through a voice vote, although his figures were in doubt.
As the voting continued despite the protests, some members ran to the center of the House, climbed on a table, threw papers into the air, ripped off microphones and threw the rule book at Mr. Singh.
Mr. Ragesh, who was reportedly injured while protesting in the Chamber well, had said at the time that even if a member asked for a resolution to be voted on, they should do so.
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