It was the AIADMK’s turn to disrupt the proceedings of both the Houses of Parliament on Tuesday. The party MPs, demanding an action against former Finance Minister P Chidambaram’s son Karti Chidambaram, over his alleged involvement in the Aircel-Maxis issue, stormed to the wells of Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha and obstructed proceedings.
Tacit understanding alleged While ruling party members remained silent on the AIADMK’s demand, the Opposition Congress alleged there is an understanding between the BJP and the AIADMK to disrupt the proceedings of the House.
The Lok Sabha was scheduled to discuss a motion thanking President Pranab Mukherjee for his address to Parliament.
In the Upper House, a calling attention motion condemning the “anti constitutional” remarks by Minister of State in the HRD Ministry RS Katheria was listed for discussion.
Question hour went off smoothly in the Lok Sabha, but Rajya Sabha did not take any business despite repeated requests by Chairman Hamid Ansari and Deputy Chairman PJ Kurien. The AIADMK demanded arrest of Karti Chidambaram and action against P Chidambaram. Attempts to pacify them did not succeed.
AIADMK adamant “We have instructions from Chennai that this issue should be taken up until the Centre takes action,” an AIADMK MP said.
Opposition leader in Rajya Sabha, Ghulam Nabi Azad, said the disruptions are organised by the BJP and the AIADMK so that a privilege motion against HRD Minister Smriti Irani and the calling attention motion against Katheria is not discussed. “This is a deliberate attempt on the part of AIADMK so that we do not discuss it and hence do not move the privilege motion against the Minister,” Azad said.
Kurien threatened to suspend the agitating members. Reading Rule 255, he said the Chairman can suspend agitating members. “I cannot take any action against Chidambaram or anybody else. You have to approach the government,” he said, adding that the disruption is murder of democracy.
In Lok Sabha, Speaker Sumitra Mahajan continued with the Question Hour for some time but adjourned the House for about ten minutes. Parliamentary Affairs Minister M Venkaiah Naidu said if the AIADMK gives proper notice, the government is ready to discuss the issue. Raising the issue, AIADMK leader P Venugopal asked Prime Minister Narendra Modi to come to the House and respond to their charges against the former finance minister’s son.
Congress refutes charges The Congress in a statement later said that the attempt was to distract attention from Irani misleading Parliament, and the “disappointing” Budget that is inflationary.
“Karti Chidambaram, as also the company concerned, has issued a statement. He is a private individual. Even in the past, the ED as well as the BJP government had raided the offices of Advantage Strategic Consulting Private Limited, and others.
“It has been emphasised many times in a row that Karti Chidambaram is neither a shareholder nor director in the company. The Company concerned has repeatedly asserted that it is Income Tax, Registrar of Companies and RBI compliant,” Congress’s chief spokesperson Randeep Surjewala said.