Disappointed over trampling of norms, procedures in Rajya Sabha, says CPI

New Delhi [India], September 18 (ANI): Communist Party of India (CPI) Parliamentary Group Leader and National Secretary Binoy Viswam expressed his extreme disappointment over the violation of norms and procedures in the Rajya Sabha on Monday where the sitting was adjourned abruptly at 5:58 PM even after the name of CPI MP Binoy Viswam being listed for speaking on the 75th anniversary of Parliament today as he claimed.
CPI MP Viswam in a statement said that the Rajya Sabha Chairman was constantly reminded of the list but for reasons best known to him, he decided to adjourn the sitting before giving the MPs from the opposition specially the Communist Party of India a chance to speak on a subject of importance.
This should be seen as an antagonistic approach to the CPI which played a historical role in the independence struggle of the country and Shaped the national agenda significantly after independence.
"Contribution of CPI stalwarts like Indrajit Gupta, Bhupesh Gupta and Hiren Mukherjee were remembered by speakers from other parties on the occasion of the 75th anniversary of Parliament. CPI leader Geeta Mukherjee‘s pivotal role in heralding the Women’s Reservation Bill is being recalled by people all over the country at a time when the demand for women reservation in Lok Sabha and state assemblies is growing" he said.
The CPI Upper House MP from Kerala further said that CPI’s rich contributions to the strengthening of parliamentary democracy have helped the issues of peasants, workers and the marginalized reach the highest forum and have made the national agenda progressive.
"Today’s development can only be seen in contravention to the elementary norms of parliamentary democracy, specially at a time when the Parliament is discussing India’s Parliamentary journey of the last 75 years," he said.
"Democracy is receiving blow after blow under the BJP Government. MPs from the ruling alliance were given the chance to speak way more than the opposition. Opposition MPs were not allowed to raise their concerns and were consistently interrupted" he claimed.
CPI Leader in the Rajya Sabha Viswam expressed his resentment and said “RS chairman violated norms of democracy by not allowing CPI to speak. Our names were listed, we reminded him and he agreed to call me. But for reasons unknown, he adjourned the house abruptly at 5.58. This act is a brazen insult of the sacrifices CPI has made towards the liberation and progress of the country.” (ANI)