New Delhi: Rajya Sabha Deputy Chairman Harivansh on Wednesday broke his one-day fast, which he was observing against the unruly behaviour with him in the House by Opposition MPs during the passing of agriculture Bills on September 20.
Janata Dal (U) MP Rajiv Ranjan Singh alias Lalan Singh offered juice to Harivansh to help him break the fast.
Harivansh had announced his 24-hour fast in a letter to President Ram Nath Kovind and Vice President M Venkaiah Naidu, speaking at length about his anguish over the ruckus in the House during the passage of two farm bills on Sunday.
Harivansh Narayan Singh in his letter to RS Chairman said that there was violent behaviour in name of democracy and chair was threatened. He said he will fast while performing his duties.
The eight lawmakers who were suspended are Derek O'Brien and Dola Sen of Trinamool Congress, Rajeev Satav, Ripun Bora, and Syed Naseer Hussain of Congress, Sanjay Singh of Aam Aadmi Party and K.K. Ragesh and E. Kareem of Communist Party of India-Marxist.
The Deputy Chairman had offered tea to the agitating MPs who were suspended for misbehaving with him during the passing of the Farm Bills.
However, the protesting MPs did not accept the tea and snacks offered by the deputy chairman.
However, all the eight suspended MPs on Tuesday ended their overnight sit-in inside the Parliament House complex and said they would take their fight against the farm bills to the street.
Read: RS Deputy Chairman on one-day fast against unruly behaviour of Opposition MPs
"Harivansh Ji was on fast for 36 hours. He had not eaten anything since Monday night. He was following his duty as Deputy Chairman of Rajya Sabha. There is a fixed procedure of everything in democracy and everyone has the right to raise his/her concerns under rules. If the Opposition or anyone else thinks that they can do whatever they want to do, it is not possible. If that happens that it will be anarchy," Singh told ANI.
"In which rulebook is it written that you can threaten the Deputy Chairman and throw papers on him. The suspended MPs need to introspect about this. The gesture by the Deputy Chairman to visit and offer tea to the MPs while they were protesting, reflects his greatness," he added.
Harivansh had also written to President Ram Nath Kovind and Vice-President Venkaiah Naidu said protests in the Upper House by the Opposition leaders during the passage of the two bills on Sunday caused him pain, stress and mental tension.
"The members of the Upper House indulged in violent activities in the name of democracy. They attempted to threaten the person on the Chair. Every rule, system of the Upper House was flouted. The members of the Parliament tore apart the rule book, threw it on me," Harivansh's letter read.
The Deputy Chairman also mentioned that the sight of Opposition leaders getting up on the table of the officials of the House, raising unparliamentary and crude slogans and the violent behaviour has stayed with him.
Venkaiah Naidu, who is also the Rajya Sabha Chairman on Monday rejected the no-confidence motion moved by the Opposition against Harivansh saying that it is "not admissible under the rules".
Also Read: RS Deputy Chairman Harivansh looks to treasury bench ere passing Bills: CPI MP
(Inputs from agency)
