New Delhi: Rajya Sabha Deputy Chairman Harivansh Narayan Singh has given a blow by blow account, presenting a chronological order of the day when two agri bills were passed in the Upper House amid disorder and shouting. The Opposition alleged that their request for division of vote was not entertained.
Singh's clarification comes in the wake of a news report suggesting that members were in their seats, as demanded by Singh to be a prerequisite for the division of votes.
"The statutory resolution disapproving the ordinance and the amendment for the reference of the bill to select committee moved by Sri KK Ragesh were negatived by voice vote by the House at 1.07 p.m., as Sri Ragesh was in the Well of the House and not on his seat at the gallery at that point of time. This can be seen from the video as calling him to move his resolution and amendment, I looked at the gallery, but he was not there," said Singh.
Singh further elaborates that Tiruchi Siva demanded division on his amendment for reference of the bill to select committee from his seat at ten past one in the afternoon. But he defends saying, "You will see from the same video that around 1.09 p.m., one member was tearing the rule book and throwing on me. I was surrounded by some hostile members, who were trying to snatch papers from me." He was referring to TMC's Derek O'Brien.
In a minute by minute account provided by Singh, at 1.09 p.m. it is stated that O' Brien tried to snatch legislative papers kept on the Chairman's table, towards his left-hand side, and "misbehaved with the Marshal on being obstructed". The same time band also refers to another member Ripun Bora throwing books in the air.
The Rajya Sabha Deputy chairperson, who came under an opposition attack after denying the division of votes stated that two things are essential for the division -- demand for the same and order in the house.