Security personnel on Friday rushed into the Rajya Sabha chamber and formed a chain to prevent agitated Opposition members from entering the Well of the House to demand a discussion on the special intensive revision (SIR) of electoral rolls in Bihar.
Several leaders said this was the first time that security personnel had blocked the aisles leading to the Well where Opposition members troop in to register their protest on any issue.
On Thursday, Central Industrial Security Force personnel rushed into the Well but did not block the passageways when Opposition MPs rose to protest.
The Opposition has been demanding a discussion on the SIR since the beginning of the monsoon session of Parliament. The government is yet to agree to the demand. Barring the debate on Operation Sindoor, both Houses are yet to transact any business because of the impasse over the SIR.
In the Rajya Sabha, the Opposition parties have submitted notices under Rule 267 for a discussion on the SIR by suspending the listed business of the day. On Friday, Trinamool Congress, Congress, DMK, RJD and CPM MPs had submitted notices for a discussion, but Deputy Chairman Harvansh rejected them.
Alleging large-scale deletion of voters under the garb of the SIR, RJD member Manoj Jha demanded that the subject be allowed for discussion. Harivansh said he could not allow a debate as the matter was pending before the Supreme Court.
Opposition members rose in protest, and some of them attempted to proceed towards the Well. At this point, the CISF personnel came rushing into the Well and formed a chain to block the aisles through which the Opposition members could approach the Well. The passages connecting the Treasury benches to the Well were not blocked. The House was adjourned till noon amid protests.
When the House reassembled, Vice-Chairman Ghanshyam Tiwari tried to conduct the Question Hour, but protests continued on the SIR. The CISF personnel again came in and formed a chain.
AAP’s Sanjay Singh, DMK’s Tiruchi Siva, Trinamool’s Nadimul Haque and Derek O’Brien and Congress’s Renuka Chowdhury managed to bypass the cordon and enter the Well and protested against the attempt to keep out the Opposition members. The House was adjourned for the day.
“Rajya Sabha today. UNPRECEDENTED Marshals (or CISF personnel) pre-emptively barricade Well. AITC, DMK & AAP MPs BARRED from entering the Well. Never seen anything like this before. So scared to discuss SIR-vote chori. ModiShah, INDIA will fight U to the finish,” O’Brien posted on X.
Sanjay Singh told The Telegraph that the security personnel were being deployed to deny the Opposition members the right to protest. “This is the first time that the security personnel blocked the passages leading to the Well. It is our right to enter the Well. They can suspend us from the House. How can they block our passage?” Singh said.
Leader of the Opposition Mallikarjun Kharge wrote to Harivansh, objecting to the new security arrangement inside the chamber. “I am writing to you on behalf of all Opposition parties in the Rajya Sabha. We are astonished and shocked at the manner in which CISF personnel are made to run into the Well of the House when the Members are exercising their democratic rights of protest,” he wrote.
“We saw this yesterday and we saw this today as well. Has our Parliament been reduced to such a lever? This is most objectionable and we condemn it unequivocally,” Kharge added.
The Opposition MPs also stalled proceedings in the Lok Sabha on the SIR and jointly wrote to Speaker Om Birla, requesting a discussion.
The security of Parliament, which was earlier managed by the specialised personnel of Parliament Security Service, has now been taken over by paramilitary forces.