BJP, Trinamool members come on verge of clash in LS

Ugly scenes were witnessed in the Lok Sabha on Tuesday when Bharatiya Janata Party and Trinamool Congress members came to the verge of a clash over the Railway Budget whose withdrawal was demanded by members from West Bengal.

As soon as the House assembled at 3.30 pm after an adjournment on the Rail Budget issue, the agitated Trinamool Congress and Aam Aadmi Party members trooped into the Well protesting over the budget.

While Trinamool members were raising slogans against Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Railway Minister D V Sadananda Gowda and the Railway Budget, BJP members raised counter slogans from their seats like 'abki baar Modi sarkar (this time Modi government)'.

Amid the war of slogans and counter-slogans, two BJP MPs rushed to the Well apparently accusing Trinamool members of disrupting proceedings.

A heated exchange of words ensued and the members from the two sides came on the verge of a clash. A couple of House marshals were also seen separating the members from the two parties.

Hukma Dev Narain Yadav, who was in the chair, adjourned the House till 4.30 pm sensing the gravity of the situation as Minister of State for Parliamentary Affairs Prakash Javadekar, his senior M Venkaiah Naidu and Minister Kalraj Mishra rushed to calm the tempers. Some Congress members were also seen rushing to the Well to avert any ugly incident.

Those involved in the incident included Hari Narayan Rajbhar (BJP). An agitated Trinamool leader Kalyan Banerjee wanted to meet the Speaker. He gathered all his party members who later sat on dharna near Gandhi statue in Parliament House complex alleging that BJP members threatened to hit them and used objectionable language.

TMC member Kakoli Ghosh Dastidar later told reporters that some BJP MP used derogatory language when they were protesting against the Railway Budget. She said it was an unwarranted and uncalled for interference by the BJP members. 

Trinamool leader Saugata Roy said BJP member Hari Narayan Rajbhar used “filthy language” against women members of TMC and “threatened” to beat them up when they were protesting in the Well against the budget.

This was objected to by the BJP members and uproar followed. Roy, who wanted to raise a Point of Order for restoration of order in the House, was countered by Minister of State for Parliamentary Affairs Prakash Javadekar, who said people who disturbed the House were now complaining.

“We respect you (Trinamool members). But the issue is who disturbed the House... Those who disturb are complaining. Ask them to maintain order,” Javadekar said.

There was also uproar when he said that people had elected BJP with a “massive majority”. He went on to add that all 543 elected members are representatives of people and respected.

Later, agitated Trinamool members staged a dharna near the statue of Mahatma Gandhi in Parliament House complex alleging that BJP members threatened to hit them and used objectionable language.