Suspended MPs have no moral authority to talk about democracy if they can’t respect its institutions: Ravi Shankar Prasad

Union Law Minister Ravi Shankar Prasad on Monday slammed opposition leaders for irresponsible conduct in the Rajya Sabha during the passage of the farm bills and said they violated rules by not vacating the House despite being suspended. Prasad was addressing a press conference with union ministers Prahlad Joshi and Piyush Goyal on the pandemonium in the Upper House.

Contract farming laws were brought in
Karnataka in 2003
Madhya Pradesh in 2003
Maharashtra in 2006
Haryana in 2007
Who was in power in these states?

Besides, Punjab, Tamil Nadu and Odisha too have their laws on contract farming. pic.twitter.com/CAI5TPcyf1 — Ravi Shankar Prasad (@rsprasad) September 21, 2020

Taking to the micro-blogging site, he said that suspended MPs who assaulted Rajya Sabha Deputy Chairman Narayan on September 20, refused to follow the orders of the Chairman on Monday. He added that they created ruckus despite directions to leave the house highlighting that they have no moral authority to talk about democracy "if they can’t respect the institutions of democracy".

"Suspended MPs who assaulted the Dy Chairman of RS yesterday refused to follow the orders of the Chairman today and created ruckus despite directions to leave the house. They have no moral authority to talk about democracy if they can’t respect the institutions of democracy," he tweeted.

हरिवंश जी देश के एक बहुत सम्मानित बुद्धिजीवी, पत्रकार और संपादक हैं जो मेरे प्रान्त बिहार से आते हैं। जिस प्रकार से कांग्रेस, राजद और विपक्षी पार्टियों ने मिल कर सदन में उनका अपमान किया है उस से बिहार के लोग बहुत दुखी हैं।बिहार की जनता अपने इस सम्मानित सपूत के अपमान का जवाब देगी pic.twitter.com/8agz9IYfT7 — Ravi Shankar Prasad (@rsprasad) September 21, 2020

Opposition members had climbed on to the chairman' podium, flung the rule book at Harivansh and tore official papers. Trinamool Congress MP Derek O`Brien, Congress MP Ripun Bora, AAP MP Sanjay Singh and DMK MP Tiruchi Siva were seen making attempts to snatch the podium mike of Deputy Chairman Harivansh. 

लोकतंत्र लोक लाज से चलता है। My way or the highway की मानसिकता से विपक्ष ने जो शर्मनाक उदहारण कल राज्य सभा में प्रस्तुत किया वो निंदनीय है। आप उपसभापति पर हमला करेंगे, आप नियमों की धज्जियाँ उड़ाएंगे, आप मार्शल के साथ मार पीट करेंगे और फिर लोक तंत्र की दुहाई देंगे। ये नहीं चलेगा। pic.twitter.com/agN9oCGLXp — Ravi Shankar Prasad (@rsprasad) September 21, 2020

Calling September 20 "a black day in the history of Indian Parliament, Prasad stated that "if the marshals were not there to protect, some MPs would have physically assaulted the Deputy Chairman".

Yesterday out of the members present in RS,Govt had support of 110 members & opposition had only 72 members. So Govt would have won if voting had taken place. Therefore,the opposition took recourse to such shameful ways of disrupting the house & tried that the Bill is not passed. pic.twitter.com/9BmaAZspOA — Ravi Shankar Prasad (@rsprasad) September 21, 2020

Prasad said the conduct of opposition leaders in the Upper House of Parliament on September 20 was "shameful" and "irresponsible". "For voting to take place it was important that the members were seated. It is on record that 13 times the Dy Chairman requested the members to go back to their seats but they decided to assault the Deputy Chairman instead of allowing peaceful conduct of the proceedings of house," he further tweeted.

Suspended MPs who assaulted the Dy Chairman of RS yesterday refused to follow the orders of the Chairman today and created ruckus despite directions to leave the house. They have no moral authority to talk about democracy if they can’t respect the institutions of democracy. pic.twitter.com/n5kvH6ziCd

— Ravi Shankar Prasad (@rsprasad) September 21, 2020

He stated that the government had a clear majority in Rajya Sabha on farm bills. "Yesterday out of the members present in RS, Govt had support of 110 members & opposition had only 72 members. So Govt would have won if voting had taken place. Therefore, the opposition took recourse to such shameful ways of disrupting the house & tried that the Bill is not passed," he added.

For voting to take place it was important that the members were seated. It is on record that 13 times the Dy Chairman requested the members to go back to their seats but they decided to assault the Deputy Chairman instead of allowing peaceful conduct of the proceedings of house. pic.twitter.com/eEcehg2dNG — Ravi Shankar Prasad (@rsprasad) September 21, 2020

On the issue of certain opposition members standing on the table in the Upper House, he said people of Bihar are pained at the treatment given in Rajya Sabha to its Deputy Chairman Harivansh. "Harivansh ji is a highly respected intellectual, journalist and editor of the country who comes from my province, Bihar. The people of Bihar are deeply saddened by the way Congress, RJD and opposition parties have insulted them in the House. The people of Bihar will respond to the insult of their respected son," he said.

संसद के इतिहास में कल का दिन सबसे शर्मनाक था। अगर मार्शल नहीं बचाते तो कुछ सांसद उपसभापति को भी चोट पहुंचा देते।
Yesterday was a black day in the history of Indian Parliament.If the marshals were not there to protect, some MPs would have physically assaulted the Dy Chairman of RS pic.twitter.com/8l8a3RqCWT

— Ravi Shankar Prasad (@rsprasad) September 21, 2020

Citing Congress' election manifesto and statements by chief ministers of the states ruled by it, he accused the opposition party of double standards on issues including contract farming and agriculture produce marketing committees.

"...the embarrassing example that the opposition presented in the Rajya Sabha yesterday by the mindset of my way or the highway is condemnable. You will attack the Deputy Chairman, you will break the rules, you will beat the Marshal and then cry to the public system. It will not work," Prasad said.