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‘Rs 48 lakh Jaguar most affordable option for Lok Sabha Speaker’

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Sumitra Mahajan

New Delhi: The purchase of a Rs 48.25 lakh swanky Jaguar XE as the new official car for Lok Sabha Speaker Sumitra Mahajan has raised eyebrows with the opposition Congress on Friday asking her to reconsider using the luxury vehicle.

The Lok Sabha secretariat, however, cited security considerations behind the purchase of the Jaguar car.

When queries on the issue were put at the Congress briefing, Party spokesman Manish Tewari said the Speaker should reconsider the matter.

Tewari said it was for the Speaker to decide whether it would be “prudent” to go for such a vehicle when one-third of the country was facing acute agricultural distress.

D Bhalla, Secretary in the Lok Sabha Secretariat, sought to downplay the purchase, maintaining that it was the “most affordable option” among the four-five cars suggested on the basis of security manoeuvrability.

He insisted that the Rs 48.25 lakh vehicle has been bought because of security considerations.

“This is not an overnight purchase. It is a decision of the LS secretariat after advice by the security. All information is available on our files. It is a transparent decision,” Bhalla added.

(Agencies)

Congress, NCP, TMC boycott Lok Sabha; SP, Left, RJD walkout

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modi

New Delhi: A combative opposition today launched a united protest in Lok Sabha against the suspension of 25 Congress MPs, as members of the Congress, TMC and NCP boycotted the proceedings and those of the Left, SP and RJD walked out soon after the House met.

As soon as the House met for the day, members from Left parties, SP and RJD wanted to raise some issues but were disallowed by Speaker Sumitra Mahajan, who also rejected their adjournment notices and asked them to raise the issue during Zero Hour.

Soon thereafter when the House took up Question Hour, Jai Prakash Narayan Yadav (RJD) raised slogans like ‘take back suspension’. He was soon joined by members from the Left and SP.

After shouting slogans from their benches, they staged a walkout. Those who walked out included SP supremo Mulayam Singh Yadav and P Karunakaran (CPI-M), leaving the opposition benches virtually deserted.

The front row of the opposition benches were completely empty, barring only one seat occupied by AIADMK leader P Venugopal. Members of the Congress, NCP, JD(U) and Trinamool Congress and Muslim League, were not present in the House.

All these parties are boycotting the House for the next five days in solidarity with the 25 suspended Congress members. As the walkout was being staged, five members of YSR Congress rushed to Well demanding special category status for Andhra Pradesh.

TRS members from Telangana stood on the aisles demanding a separate high court for their state.

Despite repeated efforts by the Speaker, they refused to return to their seats.

“Till yesterday, you were not there. Only today you have raised the issue…you have copies of the rule book. Still you want to break the rules,” she said.

Home Minister Rajnath Singh assured the agitating members that the Centre will ensure justice for Andhra Pradesh. “I assure you there will be no injustice…as for the demand for a separate High Court in

Telangana, I spoke with the Law Minister (D V Sadananda Gowda). He is working on finding a solution,” he said. Despite the assurances, the USR Congress and TRS members continued with their protest.

(Agencies)

Visiting Pakistani MPs ignored at Indian Parliament

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Pakistani lawmakers who visited Indian parliament complained they were ignored by Speaker Sumitra Mahajan.

Pakistani lawmakers who visited Indian parliament complained they were ignored by Speaker Sumitra Mahajan.

New Delhi: Pakistani MPs who visited Parliament on Friday complained they were not given a proper welcome and were ignored by Lok Sabha Speaker Sumitra Mahajan, reported NDTV.

The delegation’s visit has been organized by a private group as part of dialogue initiated by Congress leader Mani Shankar Aiyar for parliamentarians on both sides.

The Pakistani lawmakers said they were not allowed in Parliament on Thursday and today, they were never introduced in the house.

“Today we visited Parliament…and nobody mentioned us. We sat in the gallery. In other Parliaments the Speaker announces and introduces the delegates. We sat for 20 minutes but there was no announcement, no welcome,” Rasheed Gudlam told NDTV.

Mr Gudlam said on Thursday, the delegation was denied entry into the House by the “Speaker’s security personnel.”

“We requested that we want to visit Parliament. But liberal democratic India wouldn’t allow parliamentarians from Pakistan to visit Parliament. It’s amazing,” he said.

The MPs said they also tried to meet the Speaker twice but couldn’t – the first time she was busy and the second time, around lunch, she was not in her office.

“We went twice today. Her staff gave us time at 12. We came a little after that and she left,” Mr Gudlam said.

“I think there was some miscommunication. She seems busy,” said his colleague Maiza.

The Speaker said she was unaware of the delegation. “I was waiting. Nobody came,” she said while leaving Parliament. Her office said she was not obliged to meet the Pakistani MPs as the delegation is private.

BJP MP Kirti Azad, who was in charge of receiving the Pakistanis, said he had urged them to come on time but they arrived at seven minutes past 1 pm. “I had asked them to be quick but they were late. They have to honour the Speaker at least,” Mr Azad said.

Responding to their complaint about not being welcomed, he admitted, “There must have been a glitch somewhere.”

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