New Delhi: After being witness to multiple disruptions in parliament, veteran BJP leader LK Advani appeared to snap today and was seen speaking angrily to his party colleague Ananth Kumar, the Unionentary Affairs Minister.
“Who’s running the house? It is running on its own…Neither the Speaker (Sumitra Mahajan) nor the Parliamentary Affairs Minister is running the House,” Mr Advani, 89, was heard telling Mr Kumar in the Lok Sabha after summoning him to his seat.
The exchange took place as opposition slogan-shouting forced an adjournment 15 minutes before lunch break.
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Kumar was seen trying – unsuccessfully – to pacify the senior parliamentarian and also pointing at the press gallery just above the Speaker’s chair, hinting that “people are watching”.
His words failed to silence the furious veteran, who went on: “I am going to say it publicly. I am going to tell the Speaker…Both sides are a party to this.”
When the Speaker declared an adjournment, Advani asked a Lok Sabha official for how long. “Why not sine die,” he muttered.
He left without speaking to anyone during the lunch break, leaving his party to the damage control.
“This is the agony and anguish of a senior parliamentarian over repeated disruptions of the house,” said Union Minister Venkaiah Naidu, blaming the opposition.
Earlier too, Advani had been seen expressing his displeasure over the situation in the house to Kumar.
There have been incessant disruptions and adjournments in parliament this session over the government’s notes ban and the opposition’s demand that Prime Minister Narendra Modi speak in the house.
In the Lok Sabha today, opposition members demanded a debate under a rule that requires voting. The government has rejected it.
