Title: Regarding the allegation made by the Minister of State for Defence against the MPs of Kerala for not being able to protect the interests of the State.
SHRI RAMESH CHENNITHALA (MAVELIKARA): Sir, I would like to raise a very important issue.
Mr. Speaker, Sir, you are the custodian of the rights and duties of the Members of Parliament. This House is an august House. Unfortunately, the Minister of State for Defence, Shri O. Rajagopal has made a statement in Kerala in a Press Conference that all the elected Members of Parliament from Kerala have failed to protect the interests of the State. He further mentioned that all the elected Members of the Lok Sabha and the Rajya Sabha from Kerala are not prepared to argue for the rights of the State.
Sir, this is a very unfortunate statement. If a Minister of State makes such an irresponsible statement, then it would tantamount not only to lowering the prestige of the Members of the Parliament but would also the dignity of this House. This is highly objectionable.
Sir, as the hon. Speaker of the Lok Sabha you are well aware that all the Members of Lok Sabha from the State of Kerala, time and again raises very important issues pertaining to the State of Kerala. We are sitting in the Opposition. All the twenty Members of Parliament from the State of Kerala are sitting in the Opposition benches. In spite of that we are meeting the Ministers and we are raising our issues and also are pleading with them, to resolve the important issues concerning our State, irrespective of our party affiliations.
Sir, you are well aware that all the Members of Parliament from the State of Kerala are raising very vital and important issues pertaining to our State in this august House. The hon. Minister is not from our State. He has been elected to the Rajya Sabha from the State of Madhya Pradesh. The people of Kerala has rejected the BJP candidates and now to take some political mileage out of this… (Interruptions)
MR.SPEAKER: I allowed you two minutes time but the subject to be raised by you is different in the notice. You wanted to raise about having more engineering colleges.
SHRI RAMESH CHENNITHALA : Sir, I have given another notice in this regard.
MR.SPEAKER: This is not the notice.
SHRI RAMESH CHENNITHALA : I have given another notice to you because this is a very important issue. This is as good as lowering the prestige of the Members of Parliament and also the dignity of the House. Nobody from the BJP has been elected to this House from the State of Kerala. Such a statement from a senior leader, who is also holding the Defence portfolio, is highly objectionable. I would like to request, through you, to the Minister to withdraw this kind of a statement so that the dignity and decorum of the House could be restored.
(TIRUNELVELI): Sir, you would have to protect the interest of the States also. The State matters, like to use the POTA etc., are being raised here in this House. A law has been passed by the Parliament and when a law is in force, the State Governments would have to execute the law against the offenders. Would the State subjects be allowed to be debated in this House? In such an event we also would have to be on our legs and would have to have a permanent Member here to answer to the charges. Even yesterday it was raised by Shri Mulayam Singh Yadav when he was comparing Uttar Pradesh with other States.
MR.SPEAKER: I know what is there in your mind.
SHRI P.H. PANDIAN : Sir, please do not allow the State subjects to be raised here. Law and order is a State subject. A law has been passed by the Parliament and it has to be executed by the States. I was there to give answer … (Interruptions) and I cannot wait here because somebody will raise it. So, you have to protect the interest of the States.