Rijiju assured that no MPs would be stopped from speaking in Parliament
Minister of Parliamentary Affairs, Kiren Rijiju File Pic.
Union Minister of Parliamentary Affairs Kiren Rijiju on Friday defended the deployment of Central Industrial Security Force (CISF) personnel in the Well of the Rajya Sabha, stating that some MPs had physically climbed onto the treasury bench, reported ANI.
Responding to the Congress after party chief Mallikarjun Kharge raised concerns over the Centre's move, Rijiju assured that no MPs would be stopped from speaking in Parliament.
“Parliament members demanded increased security, therefore CISF was deployed. Inside the House, members have sometimes physically taken a stand atop the treasury table and near the Well. Security has been deployed to stop them from doing this. No MPs will be stopped from speaking,” Rijiju said, reported ANI.
He added that the CISF personnel would not act unless an MP indulges in "malicious" activity.
“Marshals and security inside the House will not take any action till the time MPs indulge in something malicious. Some MPs went aggressive, and therefore arrangements were made to stop them,” the Union Minister added.
Earlier on Friday, Leader of Opposition in Rajya Sabha Mallikarjun Kharge wrote to Deputy Chairman Harivansh condemning the deployment of CISF personnel in the Well of the House during an Opposition protest.
Kharge wrote, “We are astonished and shocked at how CISF personnel are made to run into the Well of the House when the Members are exercising their democratic right of protest.”
“This is most objectionable, and we condemn it unequivocally. We expect that in the future, CISF personnel will not come trooping into the Well of the House when Members are raising important issues of public concern,” the letter said, as reported by ANI.
Congress MP Pramod Tiwari also criticised the Centre, alleging that women MPs were stopped by male CISF personnel.
“Today is a sad and dark day in Indian democracy. Commandos have been deployed. Some are saying it is CISF, some are saying something else. They forcefully stopped the members from going to the staff. Our women members were stopped. Men stopped them,” Tiwari told reporters. He called it a ‘black day’ for Indian democracy.
“The way people from outside the House were called and stopped MPs from going to the Well forcefully, this is a black day in the history of Indian democracy, and we are registering our objection to this in writing to the Speaker and Deputy Chairman. Everything is captured on camera,” the Congress MP said, reported ANI.
(Inputs from ANI)
Subscribe today by clicking the link and stay updated with the latest news!" Click here!
