Lok Sabha speaker raps Opposition for disallowing Jaipal Reddy from speaking

Lok Sabha speaker Meira Kumar today appeared to disapprove attempts by the opposition to disallow Union urban development minister S Jaipal Reddy from speaking in the Zero Hour.

"If a minister wants to speak, then it is his right to make a statement and the House has to hear him out," Kumar told reporters outside Parliament.

The speaker said she had granted permission to the minister to speak but the atmosphere in the House was such that he could not make a statement.

"Those who submit notices are given an opportunity to speak during the Zero Hour. But today everybody wanted to speak on some important issue. Usually, there is an attempt to strike a balance between the ruling and the opposition parties in giving them an opportunity to speak," Kumar said. 

Members of the BJP, JD(U), Left parties and Samajwadi Party targetted the government on the issue, with the Left demanding a Joint Parliamentary Committee (JPC) to probe charges of corruption in the games projects.

Urban development minister S Jaipal Reddy was not allowed to respond to the charges by an angry opposition, which wanted the reply only after a full-fledged debate.

After an hour-long impromptu debate, the speaker adjourned the House ahead of the lunch recess as heated exchanges between opposition and treasury benches continued with the latter protesting vociferously for not listening to the government's version.

Parliamentary affairs minister PK Bansal dubbed the situation as "unprecedented". 

"For one hour, the Opposition criticised the government for its alleged acts of omission and commission on the organisation of the Games. When urban development minister wanted to reply to it, he was prevented from doing so. This is unprecedented," Bansal said outside Parliament. 

He said the government was for an enquiry and punishing the guilty about the alleged irregularities and was not shying away from a debate.