New Delhi: Union Minister of Textiles Piyush Goyal speaks in the Rajya Sabha during the Monsoon Session of Parliament, in New Delhi, Wednesday, Aug 11, 2021.
Leader of the House in Rajya Sabha, Piyush Goyal, on Wednesday demanded that a special committee be set up to look into the incidents of gross indiscipline by Opposition members and said that the Parliament witnessed a 'new low' in its history after there were reports that attempts were made to strangulate a woman security staff.
"We demand that a special committee be set up to look into the incidents of gross indiscipline by Opposition members and strict action be taken. Opposition's intentions were on full display today. The way attempts were made to attack panel chairman, table staff & the secretary-general. In a condemnable incident, attempts were made to strangulate a woman security staff," Goyal said, adding, "Opposition members even tried to stop me & the parliamentary affairs minister from coming out of our chambers. This is unfortunate. Such behaviour should never be tolerated by the House & the country."
NCP leader Sharad Pawar also expressed his disbelief over the alleged attack on a woman security staff. "In my 55 years of parliamentary career, I never saw the way the women MPs were attacked today (in Rajya Sabha). More than 40 men and women were brought into the House from outside. It is painful. It is an attack on democracy," Pawar said.
Earlier in the day, Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla had also expressed anguish over the disruptions in House proceedings had said that he was "extremely hurt."
Expressing concern about the productivity of the House, the Speaker said, "Productivity of this Lok Sabha session didn't go as per my expectations. In last 2 years, the House achieved 122% productivity. I always try to maintain a high level of productivity of the House. The deadlock affected the functioning in this session."
Rajya Sabha has recorded a productivity of 28% during the Monsoon Session. A total of 17 sittings were held in the House that functioned for 28 hours and 21 minutes. According to reports, 76 hours and 26 minutes were lost due to disruptions and only 19 Bills were passed.
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