Two AGP members tried to snatch a copy of a Bill from external affairs minister Salman Khurshid when he rose to introduce it in the Rajya Sabha on Tuesday noon leading to a scuffle with Congress MPs. The Bill seeks to ratify the prickly land boundary agreement with Bangladesh. Amid the uproar, the House was adjourned soon after it reconvened at noon.
The Bill seeks to amend the Constitution for acquiring of territories by India and transfer of certain territories to Bangladesh following an agreement between the two countries.
The Bill — Constitution (119th Amendment) Bill — was listed as number one under the legislative business of the House.
As soon as the RS reconvened at noon, BJP MPs trooped to the well of the House demanding resignation of law minister Ashwani Kumar and railway minister Pawan Kumar Bansal.
Asom Gana Parishad (AGP) MPs — Birendra Kumar Baishya and Kumar Deepak Das — too were in the well with placards protesting the Bill.
When Khurshid rose to introduce the Bill amid the din, AGP MPs rushed towards him in a bid to snatch the Bill. Congress MPs, including Narendra Budania, Renuka Chowdhury and parliamentary affairs minister Rajeev Shukla, were up on their feet. They rushed beside Khurshid thwarting the attempt of the AGP MPs.
By then, Khurshid had sat down without the process of introduction of the Bill being completed. RS deputy chairman P J Kurien adjourned the House till 2 pm.
An MEA source said the Bill will be introduced after the government builds consensus among all parties. BJP has assured the government that it would not oppose the Bill, the source said.
BJP MP Prakash Javadekar, while leaving the House, quipped, “Ek resignation , paanch Bill (one resignation, five Bills),” implying they would allow the House to pass Bills if the law and rail ministers resigned.
Later, outside Parliament, AGP’s Das told reporters, “The Bill will start a secession movement. That’s why we are opposing it.”
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