High drama in Rajya Sabha: TMC MP Shantanu Sen snatches statement from IT Minister Ashwini Vaishnav
High drama came to the fore in the Rajya Sabha on Thursday when the opposition protested on several issues. Things turned especially ugly when Trinamool Congress MP Shantanu Sen snatched a statement sheet from Electronics and Information Technology Minister Ashwini Vaishnav after he got up to speak on the Pegasus snooping controversy. Sen tore the paper and threw it towards the Deputy Chairman. As Vaishnav, who was about to make a statement on the alleged phone tapping issue, got up to speak, opposition MPs rushed to the Well of the House and raised slogans against the government.
Deputy Chairman Harivash urged the protesting MPs to desist from unparliamentary behavior and go back to their respective seats and complete their statement to the minister. As Vaishnav started making the statement, TMC MP Shantanu Sen went to his seat and snatched the paper from the minister and tore it, thus preventing him from speaking.
The minister could not complete his statement as the paper was tossed in the air and a copy of it was laid on the Table of the House.
Thereafter, the Chairman adjourned the proceedings of the House till 11 am tomorrow. Earlier today, the House was adjourned twice after opposition lawmakers raised the issue of alleged spying using Pegasus spyware and others.
Following the adjournment of the House, a verbal tussle broke out between BJP MPs and TMC MPs after Sen snatched papers from the minister and tore it up, marshal had to intervene to bring the situation under control.
The monsoon session of Parliament has started from Monday. Due to constant uproar by the opposition members, both the houses – Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha, have so far failed to do any business.
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