Parliament: Uproar in Rajya Sabha after DMK MP quotes Periyar, Dhankhar says assault on 'soul of Mother India'

New Delhi [India], December 11 : Scenes of uproar unfolded in Rajya Sabha on Monday after DMK MP MM Mohamed Abdullah quoted the lines of social reformist Periyar in the Upper House during a discussion on Jammu and Kashmir bills, following which Chairman Jagdeep Dhankhar expunged it and reminded the MPs of the responsibility that came with the freedom of speech.
The Rajya Sabha Chairman Jagdeep Dhankhar expunged the remarks and said that this was an attack on the "soul of Mother India".
DMK MP Abdullah stood up to speak during the discussion on the two bills-- The Jammu and Kashmir Reorganisation (Amendment) Bill 2023 and The Jammu and Kashmir Reservation (Amendment) Bill 2023-- which were passed by the Lok Sabha on December 7.
Abdullah said that he stood to oppose the J-K Bills and that the abrogation of Article 370 is an attack on federalism. The 2019 Act (Amendments) is unconstitutional.
Later, he quoted Periyar's lines but was intervened by Dhankhar.
The Rajya Sabha Chairman said, "Your observations are expunged. Hon'ble member you are abusing the platform, you are not aware (of) what you are saying, you have gone too far. I expunge your observations. You indicate of racial discrimination. Sorry its expunged."
Meanwhile, Abdullah said that his remarks were being wrongly understood by the Chair.
Apart from this, Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman demanded that the Congress, which is in alliance with the DMK, should speak on the matter.
Dhankhar said that every word spoken by the member cannot be accepted.
Leader of Opposition in Rajya Sabha Mallikarjun Kharge said that the Chairman, as per the Constitution, has the right to expunge statements of a member but he should be allowed to speak.
"A member puts forth his views, if they are not right, then you (Chairman) as per law, Constitution and business rule can expunge them. But if people from there (opposition) stand up and create (some) chaos then you say, this is unconstitutional. I don't agree with this. The member who says something here, let him say it, and to revert there is Chanakya (referring to Home Minister Amit Shah)," Kharge said.
Leader of the House Piyush Goyal said that the Congress should clear its stance on whether they agree with DMK MP's observations or not.
Taking exception to Kharge's Chankakya's remarks Leader of the House, Piyush Goyal said that we have no problem with it and that we are proud of our Home Minister but Congress only used that word.
The Rajya Sabha Chairman said that he intervened in the DMK MP's speech because he "had crossed all the limits".
KC Venugopal said, "Sir, I heard your serious observations on Abdullah's speech. But my request is to you is please go through the records. While speaking he quoted Periyar, one of the most important reformists of the country. Periyar told about different castes...Periyar told like that only. He quoted Periyar speech only. You verify (it) sir."
To this, Dhankhar stood up from his Chair to remark, "Hon'ble members can we quote anything in this House? Can we quote to the extent of it being sedition, challenging our integrity, going against our Constitution, going against the judgement of the Constitution this day?"
Union Home Minister Amit Shah said that the LoP and Congress should clear their stand on whether they agree with Abdullah's remarks or not.
"Whether the member's remarks will go on record is the matter of rules of the Rajya Sabha and your discretion. But a small question comes to my mind, whether the Congress Party agrees with this statement (or not)," Shah said.
Replying to this, Kharge said, "He talked about the lines written by Periyar. You may or may not agree with that idea, we (Congress) may also agree, or may not. But he presented the thoughts written by Periyar here, these are not his own words...but stopping him from speaking again and again is most undemocratic. You are stopping freedom of speech."
To this, Dhankhar said quoting someone is different. "He was quoting it affirmatively. He was drawing oxygen from it," the Rajya Sabha Chairman remarked.
Bharatiya Janata Party MP Jitender Singh said that DMK quoted Periyar to endorse his point.
"It is not an academic citation. He is quoting to endorse his view," he said.
Congress MP Digvijaya Singh also said that a member of the House should be allowed to speak and should not be intervened in between.
"Any member expresses his views here, it is and will always be his right. And I would say to the Honorable Home Minister, is it necessary for us to agree every time? If the entire House agrees, then where will democracy be? You (Chairman) have the right to delete something if it is unparliamentary and unconstitutional. Why do you stop me from giving a speech?" Singh said.
To which Dhankhar said, "It is much beyond being unparliamentary. It is much beyond expulsion. Ye Bharat Maa Ki Atma Par Prahar Tha (It was an assault on the soul of mother India)."
Later, Goyal demanded the Congress to clear its stand.
Immediately, Jairam Ramesh, Congress MP cleared the party's stand and said, "The quote of Periyar used by DMK member, we do not endorse that."