Rajya Sabha's first working day is a washout

The first working day of the budget session of Rajya Sabha was a washout on Wednesday with the House failing to transact any business due to the continued uproar created by the Bahujan Samaj Party members, led by their chief Mayawati, over the suicide of Dalit student Rohith Vemula.

Amid repeated adjournments, tempers ran high whenever the House met for brief periods and even saw clashes between Mayawati and Human Resource Development Minister Smriti Irani who accused the opposition of using a "dead child" (Rohith) as "a political tool and strategy".

Mayawati, who wanted inclusion of a Dalit member in a committee that is probing Vemula's death, accused the government of trying to "neglect" his issue, while Irani said she was ready to reply to all questions and if the BSP leader was not satisfied, "I am ready to behead myself and lay it on your feet."

Trouble started as soon as the House met for the day with Mayawati speaking about Vemula issue.

Deputy Chairman P J Kurien said the issue is already listed for a discussion later in the day and if the House agreed, it could be taken up right away.

He asked the Leader of Opposition Ghulam Nabi Azad and others who agreed to take up the discussion right then.

However, Mayawati continued to speak, pressing for an answer as to whether a Dalit would be included in a committee that is probing Vemula's death.

Minister of State for Parliamentary Affairs Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi said all these issues could be answered when the minister replies to a proper debate.

At this, BSP members trooped into the Well and started shouting slogans, forcing an adjournment of 10 minutes.

Similar scenes prevailed and the House was adjourned repeatedly after it met for brief periods. The House was finally adjourned for the day soon after 4 pm.

Before adjournment for the day, Mayawati dubbed the Vemula incident as an "insult to 25 crore Dalits" in the country and wanted resignation of two union ministers over it, sacking of the vice chancellor of Hyderabad University besides inclusion of a Dalit member in the probe committee.

"Since the time, the Bharatiya Janata Partycame to power at the Centre, nefarious means are being used to impose Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh ideology," she said adding that prestigious institutions like Hyderabad University, Aligarh Muslim University, Jamia Milia and Jawaharlal Nehru University were being interfered with.

At the same time, she said, suicide by Rohith is not the first case and many Dalit students have committed suicide in the past including when Congress-led United Progressive Alliance was in power at the Centre.

With regard to her demand for inclusion of Dalit member in the probe committee, Mayawati alleged that the National Democratic Alliance government was waiting for a "signal from Nagpur", indicating the RSS headquarters, as well as Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

Amid sloganeering by the BSP members, the HRD minister said the opposition was using a "dead child" (Rohith) as "a political tool and strategy" and asked the opposition to start discussion on the issue "right now".

To Mayawati's persistent demands, Irani said, "I am ready to reply to all questions. First you allow the discussion...You are senior to me. You are a woman. If you want, I am ready to reply. If you are not satisfied with my reply, I am ready to behead myself and lay it on your feet."

Janata Dal-United leader K C Tyagi, in apparent support over Rohith issue, called the HRD minister by a name which was expunged.

However, Mayawati accused him of playing into the hands of the BJP to take the focus away from such a serious issue.

The House was adjourned for the day after assurance from Kurien and Naqvi that Irani will respond specifically to Mayawati's question after the conclusion of the discussion on Thursday.

Earlier in the day, an exasperated Chairman Hamid Ansari remarked that disruption of Question Hour was "violation of privilege of individual members" and asked the agitating members "not to trample" over the privilege of their colleagues.

A visibly upset Ansari, who went the extra mile to hold an all-party meeting days before start of the session to ensure smooth functioning, said, "Disruption of the House is the violation of the privilege of individual members of the House. Do not trample the privilege your colleagues." Members from treasury benches welcomed Ansari's remarks.