New Delhi: Opposition MPs in the Rajya Sabha on Thursday rallied behind the DMK MPs who wore t-shirts with slogans against a proposed delimitation exercise and stressed that the rules of Parliament do not dictate any dress code for the members.
The DMK MPs attended Parliament on Thursday wearing t-shirts with the slogan “Delimitation — Tamil Nadu will fight, Tamil Nadu will win”, which was objected to by the chair in both Houses.
Some MPs also donned stoles with slogans that played upon Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan’s remarks on the DMK MPs’ protest in the Lok Sabha against the three-language formula of the National Education Policy (NEP) and had the word “uncivilised” written on it, with the first two alphabets — “U” and “N” — crossed out.
The chairman adjourned the Upper House shortly after it met at 11 am, after papers were laid on the table, and called the floor leaders for a meeting to his chamber.
According to sources from different political parties that sent their representatives for the meeting, the chairman asked the DMK MPs to change their attire.
The DMK MPs, however, said the government has failed to explain the issue of delimitation, which may lead to the southern states’ representation going down. They refused to change the t-shirts and said they were ready to be suspended if the chairman felt so.
Another opposition leader said Dhankhar quoted a precedent from 1985 and said then chairman and vice president R Venkatraman had barred MPs from wearing badges.
The opposition MPs, however, countered the chairman and said Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leaders have also come to the House wearing their party symbol. One opposition MP said BJP leaders raise slogans like “Jai Shri Ram”, to which the chair has never objected, and questioned if other MPs can also raise slogans related to their religions.
The meeting, called by the chairman at 11:30 am, extended beyond noon and the Upper House saw two more adjournments at 12 noon and then at 12:15 pm, before being adjourned for the day at 2 pm. No protest or ruckus was witnessed in the House, which was adjourned within minutes of meeting each time.
