Rajya Sabha Dy Chairman serves tea to suspended MPs, earns PM Modi’s praise

The sit-in protest by eight suspended MPs at Parliament premises on Monday continued past midnight and received the support of a large number of opposition leaders. (ANI)

A day after the no-confidence motion against him was rejected, Rajya Sabha Deputy Chairman Harivansh on Tuesday served tea to the eight Opposition MPs who spent the night next to the Gandhi statue in Parliament in protest against their suspension.

The MPs were suspended for the remainder of the Monsoon session for their “unruly behaviour” during the passage of two key farm Bills in the Upper House.

Harivansh received praise from Prime Minister Narendra Modi for his gesture. “To personally serve tea to those who attacked and insulted him a few days ago as well as those sitting on Dharna shows that Shri Harivansh Ji has been blessed with a humble mind and a big heart. It shows his greatness. I join the people of India in congratulating Harivansh Ji,” PM Modi tweeted.

To personally serve tea to those who attacked and insulted him a few days ago as well as those sitting on Dharna shows that Shri Harivansh Ji has been blessed with a humble mind and a big heart. It shows his greatness. I join the people of India in congratulating Harivansh Ji.

— Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) September 22, 2020

Harivansh arrived at the protest site carrying a flask, disposable cutlery, and snacks. His attempt at striking truce appeared to have been rebuffed by the protesting MPs who did not accept the refreshments. However, the Deputy Chairman spent some time with the MPs sitting on the lawns of the parliament complex. He also wrote to Rajya Sabha chairman Venkaiah Naidu, expressing deep anguish at the “humiliating” conduct towards him in the House and announced he would be fasting for the next 24 hours. “My fast may perhaps inspire ‘self-purification’ in those who behaved insultingly towards me,” he wrote.

The sit-in protest by eight suspended MPs at Parliament premises on Monday continued past midnight and received the support of a large number of opposition leaders.

Members of Opposition parties stage a protest at Parliament, in New Delhi, Monday, Sept. 21, 2020. (PTI Photo/Kamal Kishore)

To show solidarity with their protesting colleagues, senior opposition leaders came in hordes including NC leader Faroukh Abdullah, JD(S)’ Deve Gowda, Samajwadi Party’s Jaya Bachchan, Congress’ Ahmed Patel and NCP’s Praful Patel.

Congress leader Digvijaya Singh sat with the protesting parliamentarians for almost four hours, one of the suspended MPs told PTI as they sang patriotic songs, surrounded by placards hanging on strings with slogans in support of farmers.

“This is the first time ever that a peaceful overnight protest in front of Gandhi statue in Parliament has happened,” protesting TMC MP Dola Sen said.

“This is also the first time that members were openly robbed of their right as MPs to ask for a division (not just a voice vote),” she said.

TMC MP Derek O’Brien attempts to tear the rule book as ruckus erupts in the Rajya Sabha over agriculture related bills, during the ongoing Monsoon Session, at Parliament House in New Delhi, Sunday. (Photo: Screengrab @ RSTV via PTI)

The protesting MPs are carrying not just their beddings with pillows and blankets but mosquito repellents as well to shield themselves from the vectors.

“We would like the government to know that this is an indefinite protest,” O’Brien said.

AAP’s Sanjay Singh said, “We will continue protesting against the farmer bills until the Modi government provides a rationale behind passing these bills without having the required votes”.

(With inputs from PTI)

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