Vice President's one-day fast against 'abusive' behavior in the House

(PTI) New Delhi, Ta. Tuesday, September 22, 2020

Vice President Harivansh had taken tea and snacks for the protesting MPs in the morning, but the MPs refused. On the other hand, while passing the agriculture bills in the Rajya Sabha on Sunday, Vice President Harivansh fasted for a day in protest of the "abusive behavior" towards him by the Opposition.

The suspended Rajya Sabha MPs spent the entire night in the lawn near the statue of Mahatma Gandhi in the Parliament premises. Probably for the first time inside the Parliament premises there have been pickets all night.

Several opposition leaders, including Farooq Abdullah, Jaya Bachchan, Ahmed Patel, Digvijay Singh and Shashi Tharoor, stayed in the Parliament premises till late Monday night in support of the protesting MPs. However, in the morning, Rajya Sabha Deputy Speaker Harivansh reached the picket line with tea and snacks and surprised the MPs. However, the MPs refused to accept his tea-breakfast.

Prime Minister Modi lauded Harivansh's move and said that his behavior of carrying a vice-president's tea-breakfast was inspiring for those who attacked and insulted him. Opposition leaders were absent from both houses on Tuesday as part of a boycott of the session.

Meanwhile, in the Rajya Sabha, Deputy Speaker Harivansh on Tuesday went on a one-day fast in protest of the 'insulting treatment' meted out to him by opposition MPs. He wrote a letter to Vice President Naidu saying he was "deeply saddened" by the treatment meted out to him in the House. He could not sleep all night.