Black Day for Parliament? Marshals choked and assaulted by CPI-M, Congress and Shiv Sena MPs

New Delhi, Aug 13: The Opposition is continuing with its ruckus in the Parliament as the MLAs of the Opposition parties including Shiv Sena, Congress and CPI-M manhandled and severely choked the marshals on Wednesday.

 

According to the internal security report of Rajya Sabha on the unprecedented pandemonium and unruly scenes in the House when the bill on insurance business CPI-M member Elamaran Kareem manhandled and severely choked the neck of a male marshal while a lady marshal was pulled and dragged by Congress MPs Phulodevi Netam and Chhaya Sharma.

 

 

 

It should be noted that the two security officials have submitted written complaints about the behaviour of opposition members during their protest in the well of House. The reports stated that Trinamool Congress member Dola Sen "obstructed" the way of Leader of House Piyush Goyal and Parliamentary Affairs Minister Prahlad Joshi who were coming from the Chairman's chamber to take their respective seats and were also "pushed" by her.

 

 

It mentions that the security officials deployed for duty in the House did not misbehave with any of the members during the commotion. Akshita Bhat, a security official, who was positioned inside the Rajya Sabha Chamber to protect the Table of the House during the protests being carried out by opposition parties, has said in her complaint to the Director (Security) of Rajya Sabha Secretariat that some male MPs, engaged in protests, rushed towards her and tried to breach security cordon.

 

 

She said that when she resisted, MPs Chhaya Verma and Phulo Devi Netam (both from Congress) stepped aside and made way for the male MPs to aggressively breach the security cordon and reach the Table. She said both the female MPs physically and forcefully dragged her by pulling her arms in their attempt to help their male counterparts break the security cordon. Bhat stated that "as a result of their deliberate and violent action", she sustained "multiple abrasions, swellings and haematoma (left shoulder) and twisted left wrist".

 

 

The security official said that after the adjournment of the House, she was taken to a first aid post where she was treated with medicines and bandages. She has attached a copy of the medical report with her complaint. Stating that the incident has caused her physical injuries and mental agony, she demanded appropriate action. Bhat stated that the situation was unprecedented and it was an extremely challenging endeavour to have maintained dignified behaviour in the face of "violent behaviour" demonstrated by the protesting Members of Parliament.

 

 

Another security official, Rakesh Negi, who was performing Marshal's duty inside the Rajya Sabha Chamber, said in his complaint that MPs Elamaram Kareem and Anil Desai "tried to break the security cordon (human chain) made by the Marshals". Negi said that during this process, Kareem caught hold of his neck (posterior side) in order to drag him out of the security cordon chain, which led "to momentarily choking and suffocation".

 

 

The report said Elamaran Kareem "manhandled and severely choked the neck of one male marshal and dragged him in order to break the security cordon. One lady Marshal (security official from Parliament Security Service, Rajya Sabha Secretariat) was pulled and dragged by Congress MPs Phulodevi Netam and Chhaya Verma and assaulted her in the 'well of the House,'" it added. Some opposition members including Chhaya Verma tore some papers and threw them towards the table of the House. Video recording was also made by some members after the House was adjourned.

 

The Opposition had alleged the marshals harassed the women MPs however the lies were soon busted when the CCTV footage was out. Both Houses of Parliament were adjourned sine die on Wednesday, two days before the scheduled end of the session. All through the session that began on July 19, opposition members forced adjournments in both Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha over their various demands including a probe into allegations of surveillance through Pegasus spyware and repeal of three farm laws.