Business Advisory Committee meet today to decide on House debate on border row

LS Speaker Om Birla on Monday disallowed some notices from Opposition MPs seeking an adjournment motion to discuss the deepening border row with China.

New Delhi: Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla on Monday disallowed some notices from Opposition MPs seeking an adjournment motion to discuss the deepening border row with China.

Later, when Congress leader Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury tried to raise the matter during zero hour, Birla prevented him from doing so, reminding him that on Tuesday the Business Advisory Committee (BAC) was to decide the issues to be taken up in the remaining sittings of this week.

The Congress and some like-minded Opposition parties are keen to have short-duration discussions on the border row, the economic crisis and the Covid-19 spike.

Congress deputy leader in the LS Gaurav Gogoi told the media: “The government should give an assurance as to when the Indo-China border issue will be taken up in the Lok Sabha and the Rajya Sabha and in what form and whether the prime minister will speak on this issue in the House”.

TMC MP Triggers Row

Trinamool Congress MP Saugata Roy made a controversial comment on Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman’s appearance, triggering protests from the ruling side, demanding Roy’s apology.

Roy’s comment on Sitharaman’s appearance and linking it to the worrisome economic crisis made Parliamentary Affairs Pralhad Joshi to hit back at Roy: “Commenting on the personal attire... Being a senior member, what is he talking about? He should apologise unconditionally. It is an insult to womenfolk”.

The Speaker then expunged Roy’s remarks from the record.