Congress member walks out of RS after Naidu cuts short his speech

Congress MP B K Hariprasad on Wednesday staged a walkout from the Rajya Sabha after Chairman M Venkaiah Naidu cut short his speech as he raised the issue of floods in North Karnataka.

Naidu ordered that Hariprasad's remarks would not go on record the moment the Congress lawmaker began stating that Prime Minister Narendra Modi tweets on every issue but had ignored the floods in North Karnataka.

Naidu said Zero hour is to draw attention of the government to matters of urgent importance and not to make political comments.

Hariprasad, who had raised the issue through a Zero Hour mention, was upset on being "unfairly" prevented from speaking and walked out of the House in protest

"I am very very sorry you are casting aspersions on the Chair," Naidu said.

He went on to record that those defying the chair will not get an opportunity to speak again. "Whoever defies the Chair will not get an opportunity. Let this be recorded." In his Zero Hour mention, Hariprasad said 91 people lost their lives and properties and crops destroyed in flash floods in North Karnataka caused by incessant rains.

G C Chandrasekhar (Cong) too joined in to say that the state government had estimated Rs 38,000 crore of loss due to floods.

Earlier at the start of business, Naidu had warned Vijay Goel of the BJP of speaking without the permission of chair.

As Goel sought to object to a Congress leader's certain remarks in the House on Tuesday, Naidu said he has not permitted him to speak and ordered that nothing will go on record.

Naidu said no member irrespective of whether they belong to treasury benches or from opposition side have "got a right to speak, or do anything without the permission of the Chair."

"I will first advise and then name," he said.

A member named by the chair has to withdraw from the proceedings of the House for the remaining part of the day.