New Delhi: The Rajya Sabha was disrupted Wednesday as opposition members raised the issue of historic files being destroyed by the home ministry. The government, however, denied the charge.
Raising the issue during zero hour, the time fixed for raising issues of national importance, P. Rajeev of Communist Party of India-Marxist (CPI-M) said 1.5 Lakh historic files were destroyed in a hurry by the government.
“Over 1.5 lakh files were destroyed, they contained historic documents like the record of Lal Bahadur Shastri giving his salary to the calamity fund, and first president Rajendra Prasad refusing to take his pension,” Rajeev said.
“It also contained a file which had the minutes of the meeting of a cabinet meeting held just before assassination of Mahatma Gandhi,” he said.
The CPI-M leader alleged that government is trying to destroy national history.
“Why was the prime minister in a hurry to destroy historical documents? Government is trying to rewrite history. They want to destroy evidence of the role of some Hindutva forces in assassination of Mahatma Gandhi,” Rajeev alleged.
He was joined by other opposition parties, including Congress, Trinamool Congress, and Samajwadi Party.
Law Minister Ravi Shankar Prasad denied the charges.
“Government refutes all allegations. That is all in the position of the government,” Prasad said.
Agitated opposition, however, demanded further clarification.
Trinamool Congress leader Sukhendu Shekhar Roy said Prime Minister Narendra Modi should clarify.
“Mere denial won’t do. Prime minister should explain,” he said.
Opposition members created a ruckus following this, forcing Deputy Chairman P.J. Kurien to request the members to maintain discipline.
“You should maintain some decorum, I am also a human being, don’t make me tense over these issues,” said Kurien as opposition members refused to listen to him.
As chaos continued, the house was adjourned till 2 p.m. by the deputy chairman.
Earlier, the upper house saw two adjournments during the question hour, as opposition members led by Trinamool Congress and Congress protested against the railway budget which was tables in both houses of parliament Tuesday.