Ruckus as Lok Sabha Speaker challenged

New Delhi: The Lok Sabha on Tuesday saw ruckus after Congress members questioned impartiality of Speaker Sumitra Mahajan, which was strongly objected to by treasury benches who said the Chair cannot be “threatened”. Noisy protests led to two brief adjournments of the House.

The ruckus began after Speaker Sumitra Mahajan allowed Union minister Harsimrat Kaur Badal to make a statement on the cancellation of a food park in Amethi, an issue raised by Congress vice-president Rahul Gandhi last week in the House.

Congress members created din questioning how the government was being allowed to speak on the same issue repeatedly, whereas their party's requests for adjournment motions are rejected by Speaker Sumitra Mahajan.

Expressing concern over the Chair allowing the government to issue statements repeatedly on the same issue, Congress member Deepender Hooda said it was not natural justice. “This is not natural justice. This is not acceptable... It is not a personal aspersion. We believe that the Chair has not been fair,” he said.

“You cannot allow repetition, you cannot allow the government to repeat five times,” Mr Hooda noted adding that the government side had given their version about five times. Rejecting Mr Hooda’s, Ms Mahajan asked the member to first go through the records and then come back. “Are you challenging me,” she asked.