After serving tea to the protesting suspended MPs, the Deputy Chairman of Rajya Sabha on Tuesday declared a one-day fast till tomorrow and expressed anguish over opposition attacks in parliament.
In a letter to Vice President and Chairman of Rajya Sabha Venkaiah Naidu, he wrote that he “will observe a one-day fast till tomorrow as he was anguished over opposition attacks in the House”.
“After what happened on Sunday, I have been extremely anguished, distressed and in mental agony and have been unable to sleep for the past two days,” Harivansh wrote.
“In the name of democracy, opposition members behaved in a violent manner and there were attempts to intimidate the Chair,” he wrote.
In the morning, he went to them with tea and served it in cups to the protesting MPs, but they rebuffed his “tea diplomacy”, calling him “anti-farmer”.
Right after the suspension motion, the MPs staged a sit-in in the Parliament premises near the Gandhi statue.
They did not move from the place even at night. The MPs continued their protest over-night with pillows, blankets, two fans and mosquito repellants.
“Whatever happened in front of me on September 20 has caused unimaginable loss to dignity of House. The rulebook was torn and thrown at me. Some MPs also stood on the table, used unparliamentary language against me. I kept recalling the entire incident and was unable to sleep,” he wrote.
Referring to iconic Bihar leaders like Ram Manohar Lohia and Karpuri Thakur and adding that he was from Jayprakash Narayan’s village, he said, “I learnt a lot from him, I took part in JP Movement and my political background is from Bihar where the Vaishali Republic is known for democracy.”
PM Modi praised him for his act of serving tea to the protesting MPs by pressing upon his Bihar connection.
“To personally serve tea to those who attacked and insulted him a few days ago as well as those sitting on Dharna shows that Shri Harivansh Ji has been blessed with a humble mind and a big heart. It shows his greatness. I join the people of India in congratulating Harivansh Ji,” he said.