"Opposition, Government Like My Eyes": Venkaiah Naidu On Parliament Clash

Two days after a dramatic flare-up inside parliament that saw allegations of violence and prompted an abrupt end to the monsoon session, Rajya Sabha Chairman and Vice President M Venkaiah Naidu on Friday said the opposition and the government were equal in his eyes.

"Venkaiah Naidu today asserted that the Opposition and Treasury benches in the House are like his two eyes and are equal for him," a news release from his office said following an interaction with journalists.

"The Chairman said that a proper vision is possible with two eyes and he held both the sides in equal esteem and accordingly, said on many occasions that it was the collective responsibility of both the sides to enable smooth functioning of the House," it said.

"Legislatures are meant for debate and discussion and outside political battles should not be fought on the table of the house," Mr Naidu was quoted as saying.

"On the action being contemplated against some unruly scenes in the Rajya Sabha during the monsoon session, Chairman Shri Naidu said that after detailed consideration, which is underway, an appropriate view would be taken at the earliest," the statement said.

On Wednesday, as the government a bill to allow greater private participation in public sector insurers, chaos and physical jostling took place inside the Rajya Sabha between the opposition and parliament security staff.

Several women MPs have alleged they were physically assaulted by male marshals as they were protesting.

The government rejected claims by opposition leaders like Sharad Pawar that "outsiders" were brought into the Rajya Sabha to manhandle the members, alleging that it was a woman marshal who was in fact manhandled by opposition members.

"In 55 years of my parliamentary career, I have never seen this kind of behaviour towards women MPs in the August House. More than 40 men and women were brought into the house from outside. It is painful. It is an attack on democracy," Mr Pawar had alleged.

The clash took place a day after opposition MPs climbed the officials' table at the centre of the Rajya Sabha, waved black cloths and threw files during a discussion on the farmer protests over three central laws. Members sat on tables and many stood on them, shouting slogans.

A day later, Venkaiah Naidu appeared to break down in the house while reading out a statement condemning what he called "sacrilege" and violation of the "temple of democracy" by the opposition.