NEW DELHI, Jul 9 (News Express) : The animosity between the BJP and Trinamool Congress members over the Rail Budget almost led to ugly scenes and a near-scuffle inside the Lok Sabha, with entire second half witnessing continuous disruption of the proceedings.
The TMC MPs started to raise slogans in the slog overs of the Union Railway Minister Sadananda Gowda’s speech, when he was reeling off the names of new trains. Gowda didn’t skip a beat, despite the ever-increasing din as the TMC members were now joined by the AAP and RJD’s Pappu Yadav.
“Modi sarkar hai, hai” was one slogan discerned among the noise. A TMC member said that all the new trains seem to be allotted only to Gujarat and Karnataka. There were also some counter slogan shouting, “abki baar Modi sarkar”, from the Treasury Benches.The speech ended and the House was adjourned.After the House reassembled at 2.10 pm, the TMC members continued to raise slogans, demanding a rollback of fare hike. With work unable to be transacted, the House was adjourned till 3 pm and again till 3.30 pm.
When the House reassembled at 3.30 pm, the TMC and AAP members rushed to the Well of the House. They raised slogans against the Prime Minister and NDA government, which was greeted by counter-slogans. Two BJP members were seen going to the Well of the House and arguing with the TMC MPs. There was a heated exchange of words and both sides seemed ready for a physical clash, with marshals separating the members belonging to the warring parties. Union Minister for Parliamentary Affairs M Venkaiah Naidu, his junior, Prakash Javadekar and Minister for Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises Kalraj Mishra also went to the Well to defuse the situation.
Hukma Dev Narain Yadav, who was in the Chair, adjourned the House till 4.30 pm, the drama then shifted outside the chamber with the TMC members of Parliament rushing out to the awaiting hordes of journalists.
Later, TMC leader Kalyan Banerjee and others sat on a dharna near Gandhi statue. Another TMC member Kakoli Ghosh Dastidar later told reporters that some BJP MPs used derogatory language, with a ruling Bench member threatening to pull her saree. When the House reassembled at 4.30 pm, TMC’s Sugata Roy said BJP member from UP Hari Narayan Rajbhar had used “filthy language” against Mamata Banerjee. “He threatened our lady Members that he would beat them up,” alleged Roy. Javadekar, however, said the TMC members had to take most of the blame for the uproar. “Sir, the issue is very simple. People have elected this Government with a massive mandate,” he said, which immediately led to objections from the Opposition Benches.
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