BJP, Congress raise Shaheen Bagh firing matter in Rajya Sabha

NEW DELHI: Rajya Sabha witnessed a brief exchange of words between members of treasury benches and Congress on Wednesday as two members from the ruling BJP raised the issue of alleged involvement of an AAP worker in the Shaheen Bagh firing incident.

Soon after ministers tabled listed papers, Vijay Goel (BJP) tried to raise the issue and was strongly opposed by some Congress members.

However, Chairman M Venkaiah Naidu did not allow Goel to proceed with his arguments and asked members to raise permitted issues for Zero Hour.

Later, BJP MP Bhupender Yadav, as part of his Zero Hour mention, referred to the upcoming Delhi Assembly elections and without naming any party or place referred to the firing incident.

He said the Delhi Police has released certain pictures following its investigation in the firing incident.

Some Congress members again objected.

To this, Yadav said the gunman does not belong to the Congress party.

Yadav also wondered how a political party (in an apparent reference to AAP) can think of sending a legal notice to the police officer who is conducting inquiry into the firing incident.

The Delhi Police has said that Kapil Baisala, who opened fired at the Shaheen Bagh protest site last week is a member of the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP).

Yadav said registration of the political party, which is "criminalising politics" in Delhi should be cancelled.

Meanwhile, senior Congress MP Jairam Ramesh said states were not getting share of taxes as per the devolution formula. He said states should get 42 per cent share but they are expected to get only 30 per cent during the current fiscal.

According to him, the devolution was only 35 per cent in the previous two years.

"It is a breach of promise" that was made in the Budget.

His party colleague Digivjaya Singh said the Centre was not giving dues of states' shares in taxes because of lower revenue collections.

He said the share of Madhya Pradesh in GST compensation has been reduced by Rs 14,000 crore.

In her Zero Hour mention, senior Congress member Viplove Thakur suggested people injured in road and rail accidents, natural calamities and fire should be given higher compensation so that they can meet cost of their medical treatment.

Akhilesh Prasad Singh (Cong) made a case for increasing the lenght of the airstrip at the Patna airport so that larger planes too could land there.

Another senior Congress MP Motilal Vohra asked the government to take strict action against persons involved in black marketing of e-rail tickets.

Samajwadi Party's MP Rewati Raman Singh highlighted the large number of vacancies in central universities.