Asserting that it had a clear majority in the Rajya Sabha during the passage of the farm Bills, the Government on Monday described the behaviour of Opposition members in the Rajya Sabha as “very shameful and irresponsible” as also their refusal to leave the house despite  the Chairman’s order to suspend them on Monday. The Government also pointed out that there is enough visual evidence that the Deputy Chairman would have been nearly physically assaulted had the Marshals not protected him.

Union minister Ravi Shankar Prasad said the conduct of leaders of opposition parties was “illegal” and violative of all parliamentary norms and rules and accused the Congress of double standards on the issues including contract farming.

“The Government had a clear majority yesterday, 110 present members were supporting the Agriculture Bills and only 72 were opposing. We had a decisive majority...their agenda was to stop the House (Rajya Sabha) from passing the Bills,” Prasad maintained.

On the Opposition’s claim that the bills were passed without voting on Sunday, Prasad said the deputy chairman had asked the members of Parliament (MPs), who went to the well of the house, to return to their seats 13 times.  He said discussion went on peacefully from 9.30 am to 1.30 pm and after that the deputy-speaker said “you want it to go to select committee, I have to put it to motion and please, go back on your seats”. “How can voting take place when you won’t go to your seats,” he asked.

Pointing to the possibility of the chairman being physically attacked, the Union minister said, “Yesterday was a shameful day in parliament history. Mic was broken, a leader of a party tore a rule book” and the chair came “very close to being physically hurt”. “But for Marshalls, some physical hurt was possible”, he sought to say adding there is enough visual evidence if Marshallls would have not protected the Deputy Chairperson , he would have been nearly physically assaulted.

He said following their suspension the opposition members had no right to stay back in the house which they did on Sunday.  He said once suspension is ordered there is no discussion allowed and members have to exit the house.