Oppn Discontent in Rajya Sabha Simmers, MPs Ready Protest Letter Against Venkaiah Naidu

New Delhi: Opposition parties are "actively considering" writing to Rajya Sabha chairman M Venkaiah Naidu about his perceived "unfairness" in not granting them adequate space and not letting them raise key issues in the Upper House, sources said on Thursday.

The issue was discussed at a meeting of opposition leaders ahead of the Monsoon session of Parliament and a draft letter is being prepared. The issue will be discussed again soon at a joint meeting of various opposition parties, including the Congress, the Left parties, the TMC and the SP, sources said.

"The issue of the opposition writing a protest letter to the Rajya Sabha chairman against the unfairness of the chair in the Upper House in not allowing them to raise crucial burning issues confronting the country is under our active consideration," said a senior opposition leader.

A final call will be taken by Congress' Ghulam Nabi Azad, leader of opposition in the Rajya Sabha.

The opposition is upset with the chairman for not permitting leaders of various parties to raise burning issues such as lynchings, the current economic situation, the Bofors issue and the plight of farmers in the House.

Some MPs from Assam also aired their displeasure over not being allowed to speak in the House during the debate on the National Register of Citizen (NRC).

"All the agenda being discussed in the Rajya Sabha is tilted in favour of the ruling party. The opposition is being disallowed any space to raise some key issues and this is not acceptable," an opposition leader said.

Key issues need to be urgently discussed in the Rajya Sabha but the chair does not allow them to be raised and this is unfair, he said.

The opposition respects the Chair, he said, but opposition space "cannot be usurped" and the government alone will not decide on how the Upper House will be run.

Another leader added that the opposition wishes to convey its sentiments and anguish that it is not being accorded its rightful space and time in the Rajya Sabha.

The leaders pointed out that the issues raised are the ones sought by ruling party members. The house was being adjourned in accordance with the Chairman's "whims and fancies", some of them alleged.