Farmers Movement Archive

CPI-M MP Elemaram Kareem seeks probe amid blame game over Rajya Sabha uproar

Rajya Sabha MP of the Communist Party of India (Marxist) Elamaram Kareem on Friday wrote to the secretary-general of the Upper House of Parliament seeking "an immediate probe and necessary actions on the incidents of physically assaulting and attacking the opposition MPs inside the Rajya Sabha chamber on August 11".Kareem’s move came a day after an internal interim report is said to have named him and some other Opposition MPs for allegedly indulging in unruly behaviour and clashing with the security personnel deputed at the Rajya Sabha during the monsoon session of Parliament.CPI (M) Rajya Sabha MP Elamaram Kareem writes to Rajya Sabha Secretary-General seeking "an immediate probe and necessary actions on the incidents of physically assaulting and attacking the opposition MPs inside the Rajya Sabha chamber on August 11." pic.twitter.com/ijIuXLnoopBesides Kareem, the two-page report reportedly named Congress members Chhaya Verma, Phulo Devi Netam and Naseer Hussain and TMC MP Dola Sena for clashing with marshals when the General Insurance Bill was being taken up in the Upper House.The report said Kareem had manhandled and severely choked the neck of a male marshal, while a lady marshal was pulled and dragged by Netam and Verma.The opposition MPs had created an uproar as they wanted the bill to be referred to a select committee. The bill was passed amid din.Kareem has refuted the allegations of manhandling a marshal in the Rajya Sabha and said interim the report was created to counter the Opposition's complaint to the Rajya Sabha chairman and the media. "This is a fabricated story to escape from what they have done," said Kareem.Later, Kareem took to Twitter and hit out at the Narendra Modi government for passing bills without discussion. “Passing of key Bills without discussion & vote is unacceptable. Heavy deployment of marshals during (the tabling and passage of) Insurance Bill, the way they assaulted even women MPs & how they pursue false charges indicate the heights of strangling our Parliamentary democracy. We'll continue our struggle,” he wrote.Functioning of both Houses of Parliament during the monsoon session was majorly affected by frequent disruptions with both sides refusing to budge from their stand. While the government has blamed the Opposition for the din, the latter has slammed the ruling camp for refusing to hold debates on issues like the Pegasus controversy and farm laws and suppressing its voice in Parliament, besides passing bills without any discussions.Both Houses of Parliament were adjourned sine die on Wednesday, two days before the scheduled end of the session.

Hindustan Times

13-08-2021

India