New Delhi: After eight suspended opposition MPs from Rajya Sabha sat on a nightlong dharna Monday to protest against the alleged non-democratic functioning of Parliament and the passage of the farm bills, an all out tu-tu main main broke out between BJP and Congress on Twitter.
While the former is all-praise for Rajya Sabha Deputy Speaker Harivansh Narayan Singh and the tea he offered to the protesting MPs, the latter remains indignant.
Dismissive of the MPs’ claim to be fighting for democratic functioning of the Parliament, Vice President and Chairman of Rajya Sabha Venkaiah Naidu appreciates Harivansh’s tea and sympathy.
राज्य सभा में परसों की घटना ने संसदीय मर्यादाओं को हानि पहुंचाई है।
लेकिन मुझे बताया गया कि… इतना सब होने के बाद भी… आज उपसभापति श्री हरिवंश जी संसद परिसर में धरने पर बैठे सांसदों के लिए सुबह की चाय स्वयं ले कर गए। pic.twitter.com/S3TBrELZce
— Vice President of India (@VPSecretariat) September 22, 2020
However, Trinamool Congress MP Dola Sen is unmoved.
After many Opposition parties have boycotted the remainder of the Monsoon Session of Rajya Sabha, the dharna at Gandhi statue has ended. Now we will take our fight for the rights of the farmers to every town and village in the country.
— Dola sen (@Dolasen7) September 22, 2020
Of course, Prime Minister Narendra Modi is fulsome in his praise — after all, he knows a thing or two about serving tea… and, there’s an election coming up in Bihar.
To personally serve tea to those who attacked and insulted him a few days ago as well as those sitting on Dharna shows that Shri Harivansh Ji has been blessed with a humble mind and a big heart. It shows his greatness. I join the people of India in congratulating Harivansh Ji.
— Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) September 22, 2020
हर किसी ने देखा कि दो दिन पहले लोकतंत्र के मंदिर में उनको किस प्रकार अपमानित किया गया, उन पर हमला किया गया और फिर वही लोग उनके खिलाफ धरने पर भी बैठ गए।
लेकिन आपको आनंद होगा कि आज हरिवंश जी ने उन्हीं लोगों को सवेरे-सवेरे अपने घर से चाय ले जाकर पिलाई।
— Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) September 22, 2020
बिहार की धरती ने सदियों पहले पूरे विश्व को लोकतंत्र की शिक्षा दी थी।
आज उसी बिहार की धरती से प्रजातंत्र के प्रतिनिधि बने श्री हरिवंश जी ने जो किया, वह प्रत्येक लोकतंत्र प्रेमी को प्रेरित और आनंदित करने वाला है।
— Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) September 22, 2020
Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman is not only impressed by the Deputy Chairman, she’s also inspired.
Respect this gesture you have shown, #Harivanshji . Your values, belief and large hearted nature make you what you are – a well rounded and cultured person. Inspirational. #RajyaSabhaDeputyChairman pic.twitter.com/wFWu8iDPh8
— Nirmala Sitharaman (@nsitharaman) September 22, 2020
But Congress leader Priyanka Gandhi Vadra has no time for tea, she’s concerned by the ‘fine print’ of farm bills.
अगर ये बिल किसान हितैषी हैं तो समर्थन मूल्य MSP का जिक्र बिल में क्यों नहीं है?
बिल में क्यों नहीं लिखा है कि सरकार पूरी तरह से किसानों का संरक्षण करेगी? सरकार ने किसान हितैषी मंडियों का नेटवर्क बढ़ाने की बात बिल में क्यों नहीं लिखी है?
सरकार को किसानों की मांगों सुनना पड़ेगा।
— Priyanka Gandhi Vadra (@priyankagandhi) September 22, 2020
And TMC MP Derek O’ Brien is determined to not be silenced.
You can suspend me.
You cannot silence me. #Parliament
— Derek O'Brien | ডেরেক ও'ব্রায়েন (@derekobrienmp) September 22, 2020
But as the RJD points out, this country does have a soft spot for anyone selling tea!
जिन्होंने संसदीय कार्यवाही के नियमों की धज्जियां उड़ाकर देश के किसानों के भविष्य की धज्जियाँ उड़ा दी, वह किसानों की परवाह करनेवाले सांसदों के चिंतित अंतर्मन पर गर्म चाय गिराने पहुँचे थे!
भारतीय लोकतंत्र पर चाय का असर बड़ा विषैला सिद्ध हो रहा है!
— Rashtriya Janata Dal (@RJDforIndia) September 22, 2020
In case the politics of the issue has left you confused, Congress’ Jairam Ramesh has you covered.
Here are the 7 reasons why the Congress and like-minded parties are boycotting rest of the Monsoon session of Rajya Sabha: pic.twitter.com/PsfGtnXqGc
— Jairam Ramesh (@Jairam_Ramesh) September 22, 2020
Seems Animal Husbandry Minister Shandilya Giriraj Singh would like to have a cup of that tea Harivanshji was pouring out.
राज्यसभा के उपसभापति महोदय हरिवंश बाबू का बड़प्पन देखिए कि जिन लोगों ने उन पर हमला किया उन्हीं से मिलने गए।
ऐसे संत आदमी पर हमला बिहार के गौरव और अस्मिता पर हमला है।
बिहार की जनता ऐसे विपक्षियों को जवाब देगी। pic.twitter.com/jDSnVzWDck— Shandilya Giriraj Singh (@girirajsinghbjp) September 22, 2020
However, Congress national spokesperson P.L. Punia isn’t one to be diverted by such triflings – he’s got a ‘war’ to fight.
ये धरना किसानों को न्याय दिलाने तक जारी रहेगा।
देश को चुनिदा उद्योगपतियों के हाथों की कठपुतली बनाने पर तुली भाजपा सरकार के इरादों को कामयाब नहीं होने दिया जायेगा । pic.twitter.com/AxzXRiQS5W
— P L Punia (@plpunia) September 22, 2020
BJP MP Rajeev Chandrashekhar is quite frank—and rude—in his opinion of the manner in which the Opposition is farming the bills.
Protesting after smashing up Parliament .. with Fans ??? #Jokers #FarmBills pic.twitter.com/Xzvu2LEJlC
— Rajeev Chandrasekhar ?? (@rajeev_mp) September 21, 2020
Delhi Jal Board Vice Chairman and AAP MLA Raghav Chadha is alarmed by the BJP’s ‘concerns’. Hint: They begin with ‘K’.
इन्हें कंगना की चिंता है, किसान की नहीं।
— Raghav Chadha (@raghav_chadha) September 21, 2020
Onto other issues, BJP veteran Dr Subramanian Swamy gives his two cents on this morning’s The Indian Express report on industrialist Gautam Adani.
When I tweeted two years ago that Adani was a "trapeze artist" in finance, there was a howl from BJP IT's fake ID specialists. Today Indian Express has published a US investigation in Seychelles that Adani has been engaged in “suspicious” financial “laundering" & “sanitisation”.
— Subramanian Swamy (@Swamy39) September 22, 2020
Here’s actor Ali Fazal being total ‘boyfriend goals’ as he supports actor Richa Chadha on her legal proceedings against Payal Ghosh who while accusing director Anurag Kashyap of sexual harassment, dragged her name into the controversy.
You lead us into a world of hope Richa.
As Mr Chaplin once said – “ We all want to help one another, human beings are like that
We want to live by each other's happiness, not by each other's misery
We don't want to hate and despise one another…”. Thank you my love! With You! ♥️ https://t.co/H8A9m0aSL5— Ali Fazal M / میر علی فضل / अली (@alifazal9) September 21, 2020
And let’s give the final word to former White House intern Monica Lewinsky on what’s changed from 1998 to now, for her to have changed her mind…
just realized i am more scared of our government now than i was in 1998.
and that’s saying a lot.
A. LOT.— Monica Lewinsky (@MonicaLewinsky) September 21, 2020