Point of disorder
While Rajya Sabha proceedings were being interrupted repeatedly, Deputy Chairman, P. J. Kurien exasperatedly asked Naresh Agarwal (SP) what his point of order was, but before he could finish the sentence, he was interjected again. CPI(M)'s Sitaram Yechury then quipped what Mr. Kurien was trying to say was "...In the name of point of order, do not raise the point of disorder." Agreeing with him, the deputy chairman pointed this out to Mr. Agarwal, who did not approve of the joke. He was quick with a repartee and said what Mr. Yechury has said applies only to the Left MPs and not to the SP MPs.
Former Congressman-turned BJP Minister bares his heart
Congressman-turned-BJP Minister Birender Singh used the MNREGA discussion in the Lok Sabha to bare his heart. As Congress members goaded him to at least give credit to the UPA for the landmark law, he shot back that Parliament had unanimously passed the law and so it is no Congress monopoly. Referring to K. H. Muniyappa (Congress) calling him a junior minister in the Modi Government, Mr. Singh – who quit the Congress in July – shot back: "You’ve been with the Congress for 30 years, but the party gave you nothing.’’ As Mr. Muniyappa protested saying Congress had given him everything, Mr. Singh rubbed it in: "I served the Congress for 40 years, they didn’t give me anything; this party made me Cabinet Minister in 40 days.’’ And, added for good measure: "There are certain Congress friends of mine who’ve said that you had the guts to take a decision and we didn’t...”
Azad makes waves
Leader of Opposition Ghulam Nabi Azad, who made an appearance in the Rajya Sabha after a long gap as he has been busy campaigning for the Jammu and Kashmir Assembly elections, made a speech on the issue of religious conversions during Zero Hour that was widely applauded by opposition MPs. The speech that earned Mr. Azad accolades was, according to his admirers, measured, statesmanlike, logically argued and eschewed all flourishes. One admiring MP later said, “The speech was worthy of a Leader of Opposition; today one felt that, indeed, he is the leader of the largest party in the Rajya Sabha.”
