Nehru sat through debate, requested more time for oppn: Cong slams Rijiju for 1954 comparison
New Delhi (PTI): The Congress slammed Union Minister Kiren Rijiju on Wednesday for contrasting the 10 hours allocated for a debate on the resolution for the Lok Sabha speaker's removal with the two-and-a-half-hour debate on a similar resolution in 1954, saying Jawaharlal Nehru had then requested the bulk of the time be allotted to the opposition.
The debate is likely to conclude on Wednesday with Union Home Minister Amit Shah's response to the resolution.
Congress general secretary in charge of communications, Jairam Ramesh, said that in Tuesday's debate in the Lok Sabha on the motion for the removal of the Speaker, Minister of Parliamentary Affairs Rijiju proudly claimed that 10 hours had been allotted for the debate, whereas in December 1954, only 2.5 hours had been set aside for a similar motion.
"What he forgot to mention was that on December 18, 1954, the prime minister himself sat through and took part in the debate. While speaking, Jawaharlal Nehru requested the deputy speaker, who was presiding in the House, that the bulk of the time should be allotted to the opposition," Ramesh said on X.
When the motion was moved in the Lok Sabha on December 1, 1954, the Congress had 364 MPs in a House of 489 members, he pointed out.
"On December 18, 1954 (as on later occasions in 1966 and 1987), there was a deputy speaker in the Chair in the Lok Sabha while the motion against the Speaker was being debated. Since mid-2019, there has been no deputy speaker in the Lok Sabha, which is a clear violation of the Constitution," Ramesh said.
Intervening in the debate on the resolution for the removal of Om Birla from the Speaker's post, Rijiju on Wednesday slammed TMC's Saugata Roy for questioning the decision on who will preside over the proceedings during the discussion on the opposition's resolution.
"Such senior MPs should know that in 1954, when the opposition party brought a resolution against G V Mavalankar, a full day's time was demanded for discussion. Jawaharlal Nehru had allocated an hour and a half.
"There was a lot of debate over it, and finally, a consensus was reached on a two-hour discussion. Within that two-hour time, the minister had 15 minutes. Today, we are having a discussion for two days. This government is not going to run away. You are comparing a two-and-a-half-hour discussion with a two-day debate," Rijiju said.
Hitting back at the BJP leader, Ramesh shared on X a screenshot of the 1954 debate's transcript.
It quoted the prime minister Nehru as saying, "Normally you do adopt some kind of proportion, but I would like to submit that in this particular case, more time should be allowed to the opposition than to the government benches.
"We do not wish to take too much time, and I hope the hon. members on this side will not take up too much time of the House in their speeches. Naturally, we will have to say something, which we will do. But. I would submit for your consideration that the Opposition should have more time," Nehru had said.
The ruling NDA on Tuesday strongly defended Speaker Om Birla in the Lok Sabha, asserting that the resolution for his removal was brought only "to create spectacular headlines", while the opposition accused him of partisanship, claiming he made "baseless" allegations about certain women MPs and did not permit Leader of Opposition Rahul Gandhi to express his views on "critical issues".
Participating in the debate on the resolution, several opposition MPs said Birla has good relations with members but stressed that they want him to conduct the House proceedings "fairly" without succumbing to "pressure" from the government, as they questioned his decisions on the suspension of their colleagues.
Treasury bench members, however, insisted that Birla was impartial and that the opposition MPs faced action due to their improper conduct.
Though the Constitution allows the Speaker to be present in the House to defend himself or herself and to vote, Birla preferred to stay away from Tuesday's proceedings.
In yesterday's debate in the Lok Sabha on the motion for the removal of the Speaker, the Minister of Parliamentary Affairs proudly claimed that 10 hours has been allotted for the debate whereas in Dec 1954, only 2.5 hours had been set aside for a similar motion. What he forgot to… https://t.co/ZyLjtK4an7
— Jairam Ramesh (@Jairam_Ramesh) March 11, 2026
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West Asia conflict: Bengaluru LPG consumers engage in panic booking
Bengaluru (PTI): Panic enquiries for domestic LPG cylinders have risen at several gas agencies in Bengaluru in the past few days amid concerns over supply disruptions due to the widening West Asia conflict, though dealers said on Wednesday that stocks are adequate as of now.
However, there is an acute shortage of commercial LPG cylinders, forcing several hotels and restaurants in the city to operate under strain, an LPG dealer told PTI.
Hotel and restaurant owners reiterated that they would be forced to shut down once their stock is exhausted.
A representative of Indane distributor, Sri Giridhar Agencies, said there has been no disruption in the supply of LPG cylinders for domestic use.
"Every day we have been receiving loads. There is no disruption in supply. However, we have been getting numerous panic calls from customers enquiring whether there is sufficient stock. Calls for bookings have also gone up," the representative, who did not wish to be identified, said.
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He assured customers that adequate loads were arriving regularly and there was no need for panic.
Several LPG gas dealers in the city said that panic enquiries have also led to advance bookings for LPG cylinders, with many customers opting to secure refills in advance, fearing possible supply disruption due to the widening West Asia conflict.
Ravi Gowda of Balaji Stores, a private cylinder gas agency, said the shop has been receiving many enquiries about LPG availability in the past two days.
"We have been getting a lot of queries related to the availability of LPG cylinders. But we have sufficient stock as of now. We are getting stock on a daily basis, and it can be delivered on an urgent basis," he said.
A representative from Mahhan Enterprises in Uttarahalli attributed the situation to a temporary disruption in supply, saying LPG cylinders had not arrived for about a week, but supplies have now resumed.
"If customers book now, the cylinder will be delivered within four to five days. In case of an emergency, they can also come and collect it directly from the agency," the representative said, adding that there is no major crisis, though deliveries may sometimes be delayed by a day or two.
An LPG dealer, on condition of anonymity, said commercial cylinders are not available and hotels are bearing the brunt, with the Bangalore Hotel Association saying that the hotels and restaurants in the city will be forced to shut down.
"There is a crisis for commercial cylinders, but there is no problem with the domestic supply. Earlier, we used to supply within two or three days, but now, after the crisis, we cannot deny supplies for domestic use. One cylinder lasts about a month for a household, so they have fixed a 30-day time period for stock here. People may panic, so this has to be handled carefully," he told PTI.
Meanwhile, Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah on Tuesday sought the Centre's urgent intervention to ensure the supply of adequate commercial LPG cylinders to hotels and restaurants in Bengaluru.
He said hotels, restaurants and catering establishments in the city would be forced to suspend operations if supplies are not restored, affecting a large number of students and working professionals who depend on them for regular meals.
In his letter to Union Minister of Petroleum and Natural Gas Hardeep Singh Puri, he also requested that appropriate directions be given to the oil marketing companies to address the current supply constraints and help ease the situation.
Referring to the March 9 order issued by the Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Gas prioritising LPG supply for domestic consumers, Siddaramaiah said while the intention behind the order to ensure uninterrupted LPG supply to households across the country is well understood and appreciated, its implementation appears to have led to an unintended shortage of commercial LPG in Bengaluru.
