The Rajya Sabha on Monday saw a highly emotional and dramatic moment when nominated member C Sadanandan Master placed his artificial limbs on the table while delivering his maiden speech. The move led to protests from CPI(M) members and briefly disrupted the House.

Sadanandan Master was speaking during the discussion on the Motion of Thanks to the President’s Address when his artificial limbs were placed on the table. CPI(M) MP John Brittas objected, citing a past ruling that does not allow the display of objects in the House.

Rajya Sabha Chairman C P Radhakrishnan asked that the artificial limbs be removed from the table. He also advised Brittas to “follow the same strictness when someone is showing placards,” referring to earlier disruptions in the House.

Following the objection, the artificial limbs were taken down and placed below Sadanandan Master’s desk.

Sadanandan Master recounts brutal 1994 attack

Sadanandan Master continued his speech and spoke about the attack on him in 1994, which he said was carried out by CPI(M) workers.

“Those who are talking about democracy, they committed an attack on me 31 years ago… I was on my way back from my uncle’s house after discussing my sister’s marriage. In a bazaar, criminals caught me after I got down from a bus and cut off my two legs, and they shouted Inquilab Zindabad, which is why I wanted to show members of the House what democracy is,” he said.

At the time of the attack, he was serving as an RSS saha karyavah in Kannur district. He later joined the BJP and is currently the vice-president of the party’s Kerala unit.

Targeting the CPI(M), Sadanandan Master accused the party of supporting political violence.

“You are always talking about tolerance, humanity, but your commitment is based on political violence, which is not good for democracy,” he told the House.

Concluding his speech, he added, “I regret I could not stand while making my maiden speech due to torture by CPI-M.”

After the speech, John Brittas again raised the issue with the Chairman and criticised the display of the artificial limbs.

“You (Chairman) have banned the display of objects. He (Master) has been coming to the House for so many days, walking with artificial limbs. It is unfortunate that he lost them. Somebody who sits beside him is a lawyer….displays it on the table,” Brittas said.

In August last year, eight CPI(M) workers convicted in the case surrendered before a court in Kannur after the High Court rejected their appeal against the conviction. They had earlier been sentenced to seven years in prison in 1997 in connection with the attack.

The incident in the Rajya Sabha highlighted the deep political tensions and turned Sadanandan Master’s first speech in the House into a powerful and emotional moment.