Chhattisgarh CM & other leaders hold silent protest against 'manhandling' of Congress MPs

Upset with the alleged manhandling of Congress MPs in the Rajya Sabha, the Chhattisgarh unit of the party staged a "silent protest" at the Gandhi Maidan in Raipur on Thursday. On the last day of the Monsoon session, i.e August 11, Congress parliamentarians from Chhattisgarh Chhaya Verma and Phulo Devi Netam asserted that they were manhandled by male marshals while protesting in the well of the House. Speaking about the purported incident in a press conference on Wednesday, both these Rajya Sabha MPs broke into tears. 

Several prominent leaders including Chhattisgarh CM Bhupesh Baghel and state unit president Mohan Markam were present at the protest venue. Talking to the media later, Baghel said, "The way our MPs- Chhaya Verma, Phulo Devi Netam were manhandled in Rajya Sabha is condemnable. I also condemn demonstrations by BJP in State at the behest of Centre, they should apologize. This is why we observed a silent protest today". 

While the Centre denied these allegations, NCP supremo Sharad Pawar had echoed the stance of Congress. After this purported incident took place, he told reporters, "In my 55 years of parliamentary career, I never saw the way the women MPs were attacked today. More than 40 men and women were brought into the House from outside. It is painful. It is an attack on democracy".

Centre seeks action over Parliament ruckus

The Monsoon session was marked by sloganeering, leaders rushing to the Well of the House with placards, tearing of papers, and repeated adjournments over the opposition's demand for a discussion on the Pegasus 'snooping' row. The situation escalated on August 11 and marshals had to be summoned to control the chaos in the Upper House. As per the videos accessed by Republic TV, the marshals are seen keeping the parliamentarians at bay while some of them attempted to push their way through towards the Chair.

At about 6.22 pm, TMC MP Dola Sen is seen pushing and obstructing the way of Leader of House Piyush Goyal and Union Parliamentary Affairs Minister Pralhad Joshi. This was followed by Congress members Chhaya Verma and Phulo Devi Netam pushing and trying to bang the head of a lady marshal at 6.31 pm. Other MPs can be witnessed raising slogans, throwing papers, climbing on benches and manhandling the marshals. 

On August 15, 7 Union Ministers met Rajya Sabha chairman Venkaiah Naidu and demanded action against opposition MPs who indulged in the ruckus on the last day of the Monsoon session. Union Ministers Piyush Goyal, Pralhad Joshi, Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi, Dharmendra Pradhan, Bhupender Yadav, Arjun Ram Meghwal and V Muraleedharan handed over a memorandum to the Vice President in this regard, sources told PTI. During the meeting, they described the actions of some MPs as "unprecedented, extreme and violent". Naidu assured them that he will look into the issue and take an appropriate decision.