BJP questions Hamid Ansari for disallowing query on PM's statement

Taking exception to Rajya Sabha chairman Hamid Ansari invoking a 24-year-old ruling to disallow clarifications on the Prime Minister's statement on WikiLeaks, BJP on Friday said Manmohan Singh cannot shield himself behind such a rule.
Leader of opposition Arun Jaitley, supported by the Left, said the Opposition "cannot be gagged" and the Prime Minister is "accountable to Parliament. He cannot shield himself behind a new practice." As soon as the Prime Minister made his statement, Jaitley raised his hand, wanting to seek clarifications, but was disallowed by Ansari. "I am afraid, Rule 251 does not allow clarifications on this. Please read the rules. There are earlier rulings of the house on this," the chairman said.
An indignant Jaitley stood up and backed by his party members, said that the upper house has a convention that whenever a statement is made by a minister or the Prime Minister, clarifications are sought. "It has been without any exception and I do not know any reason why the convention is being broken today," Jaitley said, adding it was an extraordinary situation.
In his support, CPI-M leader Sitaram Yechury said, "This rule has been there. It has never been invoked so far. I would like to know why this is being invoked after 24 years". Yechury also asked "why did you not follow it last week (when the Prime Minister made a statement in the house on quashing of CVC appointment)"
However, Ansari did not agree to the appeals and said the Ruling of April 24,1987 was "unambiguously clear. That is the practice."
As Opposition members kept protesting, Ansari adjourned the house for 20 minutes till 3pm.
When the house reassembled and deputy chairperson K Rahman Khan was in the chair, Jaitley again stood up and said, "The opposition cannot be gagged. The ruling party would like to gag the opposition. It is entitled to say what it wants to say."
In his statement, the Prime Minister rubbished charges of bribery during the 2008 Trust Vote based on "speculative and unverified" cables and asserted that no one from Congress or government engaged in any "unlawful act".