An old video of former chief minister of Uttar Pradesh and Bahujan Samaj Party chief Mayawati lashing out at erstwhile chairman of Rajya Sabha Hamid Ansari's absence from the House in the afternoons is circulating with a false communal claim on social media.
The captions falsely claim that Mayawati reprimanded the former vice president of India for adjourning and leaving the Upper House at noon everyday to offer namaz.
In the video, Mayawati can be heard saying, "You are the chairman of the House; your responsibility is to ensure that the House functions after 12 pm. Who will ensure that it functions? You leave at 12 noon everyday, and the House does not function after that." To this, Ansari can be heard replying, "Please let the question hour continue. The House shall continue to function with everyone's cooperation."
The video is circulating with a caption in Hindi that translates to: 'Vice President Hamid Ansari used to adjourn the Rajya Sabha every day at 12:00 and go to offer namaz and speech. All the MPs used to sit idle waiting for him, constitutional work remained closed. Hamid Ansari was nominated by Congress. When Mayawati raised this issue, listen to Ansari ji's answer?'
(Original text in Hindi: उपराष्ट्रपति हामिद अंसारी रोज़ 12:00 राज्यसभा स्थगित कर नमाज़ पढ़ने व तक़रीर करने चले जाते थे। सभी सांसद उनके इंतज़ार में ख़ाली बैठे रहते थे,संवैधानिक कार्य बंद रहता था। हामिद अंसारी कांग्रेस द्वारा नामित थे। मायावती ने ये मुद्दा उठाया तो अंसारी जी का जवाब सुनिए? )
Another X user alleged, "After 12 o'clock, Hamid Ansari used to go to offer namaz and then did not come and the house did not function. Mayawati had chided Hamid Ansari but due to pressure from Congress, no media had shown it."
The video is circulating on Facebook with a similar claim.
Fact Check
BOOM first ran a relevant keyword search with Mayawati and Hamid Ansari where we were directed to news reports from 2012. We found that the incident happened on December 12, 2012 during the Winter Session of the Rajya Sabha. Hamid Ansari was the Chairman of Rajya Sabha and Manmohan Singh was the prime minister of the country, during that period.
We found a video by ABP News as part of a news report, with the caption "Mayawati stuns Rajya Sabha, questions chairman Hamid Ansari's absence". In the extended version of the video, Mayawati says, "The House should be run according to everyone's orders." To this, Hamid Ansari says, "The House runs and will run with everyone's cooperation." After this, Mayawati along with other Rajya Sabha MPs including Satish Chandra Mishra approach towards the Chairman's seat and raise slogans, "Anti-Dalit government will not work".
The same incident was covered by Times Now in a video report. Nowhere does Mayawati use the word 'namaz' or even refer to it in anyway.
We then looked up reports and found that Mayawati was annoyed with "frequent disruption over a bill for providing reservation in promotion to the Scheduled Castes/Scheduled Tribes in government jobs." The same was being opposed by the Samajwadi Party.
BOOM also reached out to senior journalist Rashid Kidwai who denied the namaz claim. "There is a rule in the Rajya Sabha which has been traditionally followed - the chairman of the Rajya Sabha, who is the vice president of the country, used to sit in the House only for the Question Hour (from 11 am to 12 noon). The subsequent proceedings are looked after Deputy Chairman and Panel of Vice Chairmen. In the viral video, Mayawati is talking in the same context that the chairman leaves the House at 12 o'clock. After this, people with a political agenda come and sit on the chair - in such a situation the proceedings of the Parliament are not completed properly and are adjourned. Mayawati's outburst had nothing to do with namaz."
According to the rules, the chairman presides over the question hour of the House; While the proceedings during zero hour and beyond are presided over by the deputy chairman. The chairman only returns to the House during the prime minister's speech or the House being adjourned indefinitely.
BOOM also reached out to senior BSP leaders about the viral claim. Former Rajya Sabha MP and BSP leader Munquad Ali told BOOM, "Mayawati expressed her displeasure with Hamid Ansari but the context was not about offering namaz. I also do not recall any such controversy."
We also reached out to Satish Chandra Mishra. The article will be updated as and when we get a response.
According to a PTI report dated December 12, 2012, Ansari found it difficult to work in "such circumstances and he was pained by Mayawati's critical remarks against him." Later, the portion where Mayawati takes on Ansari, was removed from the House recording. Thus, the speech and transcript are not available.
We also found reports which stated that Mayawati expressed regret about her protest. A report quoted Mayawati as saying, "I have full faith in you (Ansari). I have full confidence that you will be able to find a way out to ensure that the House runs smoothly and the legislation is passed."
Screenshot of a PTI news article
It is noteworthy that In Parliament, there is a lunch break between 1 to 2 pm, but in Rajya Sabha, extra time of half an hour was given for Friday prayers; the same rule was abolished in December 2023.