NEW DELHI, Aug 14: With his “anarchists” remark evoking sharp reaction from Opposition, Rajya Sabha Chairman Hamid Ansari today maintained it was not an allegation against anybody and said his secretariat will review it in light of the atmosphere prevailing in the House at that time.
“I will ask the Secretariat to review the remarks (made yesterday) in light of the record they have,” he said responding to an impromptu discussion arising out of his remark.
As the House was in turmoil over various issues, Ansari had observed: “Every single rule in the rule book, every single etiquette is being violated…If the Hon’ble members wish the House to become a federation of anarchists, then it is a different matter.”
He said today that the Chair is not part of the government and his endeavour has been to run the House according to the rule book.
“Time has come for us to review our practices and rules and carry out changes as necessary,” he said, adding he would soon call a meeting of leaders to discuss how rules need to be amended.
Ansari said he used the expression as it was a proper name and several bodies exist in the world with this name. There is also an international association by this name whose principles are abolition of all forms of authority.
“If you read what I said (yesterday) I said with condition … Not as an allegation, or attributing it to anybody. If a question is posed, it cannot be an allegation,” he clarified.
While Opposition members urged him to withdraw the word “anarchists”, the treasury benches and parties supporting the government said members need to do introspection on their behaviour in the House.
Ansari said: “Chair is not part of the government…Not as Chair. In another capacity, in state set-up, yes. Chair (in the House) is referee (as) in hockey or football field. Chair has been given a rule book, a yellow card and a red card.”
“He or she is expected to allow the game to be played as per rule…That is what the Chair has endeavoured to do,” he said. “I will ask the Secretariat to review the remarks (made yesterday) in light of the record they have.”
Earlier, Najma Heptulla (BJP) said the expression had caused anguish and urged the Chairman to withdraw the remark saying his “prestige will not be lowered” in doing so.
Ram Vilas Paswan (LJP) said members also need to mind their behaviour in the House.
Leader of the Opposition Arun Jaitley said many times things are said in a heat of moment and when heat fades way, it is ensured that the expressions too do not remain.
“I leave it to your good sense (to correct the record),” he said.
K C Tyagi (JD-U) said anarchist was not an unparliamentary word, while Mohammad Adeeb (Ind) said members should introspect their own behaviour.
Yogendra P Trivedi (NCP) said the word could be substituted with a palatable word like unruliness.
Sitaram Yechury (CPI-M) said he was not present in the House when the word was used by the Chair and “if that is your poser then it is perfectly valid.”
D Raja (CPI) said context was more important and time had come to review old book of parliamentary and unparliamentary words and left it to the Chair to decide if the word should be removed from the records.
Karan Singh (Cong) said Ansari’s anguish was understandable and that anguish was shared by many in the House.
Bhagat Singh Koshyari (BJP) said the expression used by the Chair will not send a good message to the country.
Derek O Brien (TMC) too sought a clarification from the Chair.
Prakash Javadekar (BJP) said members in extraordinary situation give vent to their feeling in extraordinary manner. “You withdraw (the remark) in the best interest of democracy and dignity of the chair,” he said.
M S Gill (Cong) said Ansari should decide on withdrawing the remark.
M Venkaiah Naidu (BJP) said remarks should not be aimed at one section and recalled how ruling party members snatched papers from ministers in the House.
Sabir Ali (JD-U) said the remarks were appropriate as members who spend 3-4 months to prepare questions have not been allowed to ask question.
Satyavrat Chaturvedi (Cong) said it was behaviour of the members which increased prestige of the House. (PTI)
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