Uproar In Lok Sabha Over Minister’s Air India Remarks

New Delhi : The Lok Sabha Tuesday witnessed an uproar, leading to an adjournment, over Civil Aviation Minister Ajit Singh’s media remarks on the Air India pilots’ strike, as members wanted him to answer their queries in the house.

As Speaker Meira Kumar’s attempts to pacify the agitated members from the left parties and the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) did not succeed, she adjourn the house at around 12.20 p.m. till 2 p.m.

The issue was raised by Communist Party of India leader Gurudas Dasgupta, whowanted the minister to apprise the house on the situation prevailing in Air India in view of the pilots’ strike.

However, the minister was not present in the house, resulting in other members from opposition parties, including Leader of Opposition Sushma Swaraj (Bharatiya Janata Party) raising the issue.

At one point, Sushma Swaraj was heard saying Ajit Singh’s interviews to the media and bytes to television news channels on policy matters relating to civil aviation when parliament is in session amounted to privilege breach.

As more members sought a direction to the government from the chair to bring the minister to the house to reply to their queries, the speaker said it was not possible, as the zero hour was in progress.

This did not cut much ice with the opposition, who continued with their demand, resulting in noisy scenes and the ­journment of the house.