Didi takes on ‘Stalinist’ Speaker

Nationalist Trinamool Congress chief Mamata Banerjee, who has kept a low profile in the House over the past few days, led the attack on the ...

Nationalist Trinamool Congress chief Mamata Banerjee, who has kept a low profile in the House over the past few days, led the attack on the issue of ‘‘tainted’’ ministers. Making her way through the group of MPs crowded in the Well of the House to reach the Speaker’s table, she shouted and gesticulated angrily. After the Lok Sabha was adjourned for the first time, Banerjee was heard telling other MPs that ‘‘Advaniji’’ had made a big mistake by agreeing to the unanimous election of a ‘‘communist’’ as Speaker. She spoke about the intolerance of the communists and warned that the voice of the Opposition would be throttled by the ‘‘Stalinist’’ Speaker.

Some BJP and Shiv Sena MPs privately agreed with Banerjee, saying that their party leaders should not have been so ‘‘magnanimous’’ in electing Chatterjee unanimously. ‘‘We should have fielded our own candidate even if we did not have the numbers to win,’’ said a high-profile Rajya Sabha MP.

BJP MP Sushil Modi and others accused the Speaker of not allowing Fernandes to speak at the outset, although the NDA contingent had drowned out the former defence minister’s words with their sloganeering.

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BJP MPs were angry that Chatterjee allowed the speeches as part of the motion of thanks to the President’s address, to go on record.

When the House reassembled at 2 pm, it seemed that the NDA had decided to join ranks with Banerjee. Instead of protesting against the charge-sheeted ministers, they targeted the Speaker. Led by Harin Pathak, BJP MPs cried, ‘‘Hamen nyaya do’’ (give us justice), while Banerjee kept up a chant of ‘‘Tanashahi nahi chalegi’’ (down with dictatorship). Some BJP MPs shouted ‘‘Yeh politburo nahin hain’’. Interestingly, Chatterjee was never a member of the CPI(M) politburo.

The Speaker called on Samajwadi Party leader Ram Gopal Yadav to make his speech on the President’s address, but when he refused to do so because of the din, the House was adjourned.

Modi will address a rally in the district and open the Purnea airport that will provide air connectivity to several metro cities, fulfilling a longstanding demand in the Seemanchal region.

PM Modi to open Purnea airport, launch Makhana Board in Monday’s visit to poll-bound Bihar

India3 hr ago

PM Modi will visit Purnea, Bihar, on Monday to inaugurate projects worth Rs 36,000 crore, including an airport and launch the National Makhana Board. The visit is aimed at boosting development and addressing the neglected Seemanchal region. PM will also announce projects worth Rs 35,461 crore and distribute benefits to beneficiaries under different schemes.

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