NEW DELHI, Aug 5: Rajya Sabha proceedings were washed out again today as Congress protested over the suspension of its 25 members in Lok Sabha, shouting slogans against the “dictatorial” attitude of the government.
The Upper House met barely for a few minutes as it was repeatedly adjourned because of ruckus and Deputy Chairman P J Kurien called it a day minutes past 2 pm.
The Upper House has failed to transact any significant business so far during the Monsoon Session since it began on July 21.
Protesting Congress members continued to raise slogans against the government’s “dictatorial” attitude and trooping into the Well, forcing two adjournments in the pre-lunch session and then finally till tomorrow, attracting strong rebukes from the Chair.
Slogans like “Modi government is corrupt”, “We want justice” and “Dictatorship by Modi will not be allowed” were vociferously raised by the opposition members.
After repeated pleas by Kurien went unheeded, he said, “this is nothing but indiscipline. Because of the unruly behaviour of some of the members, I am forced to adjourn the House.”
He continuously asked with them to take their seats and allow discussion to take place. “It will not take you anywhere,” he said, lamenting that “Parliament is for discussion and debate and not for slogans.”
As Congress members continued with their slogan-shouting, Minister of State for Parliamentary Affairs Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi asked the Chair to allow the business to continue.
“Let the business in the House be allowed to carry on. Let them raise slogans,” he said.
Kurien directed that the Prevention of Corruption (Amendment) Act 2013 be moved for consideration of the House.
In the absence of Minister of State Jitendra Singh, his colleague and Union Minister Rajiv Pratap Rudy moved the bill, amid protests by some opposition members that no permission of the Chair has been taken.
Earlier when the House met for the day, protesting members forced the first adjournment during Zero Hour till noon.
Congress members protested the government’s “autocracy” in suspending 25 of their colleagues of Lok Sabha.
The ruckus started soon after the House mourned the death of passengers in derailment of two trains in Madhya Pradesh, when Congress members trooped into the well, raising slogans against the Government and Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
“Tanashahi nahi chalegi (autocratic rule will not be tolerated)”, “We want justice” and “Mauni Baba muh toh kholo” (silent Baba, open your mouth), they shouted, as the Deputy Chairman ordered laying of the listed papers.
After papers were laid, Kurien said he has received four motions from Naresh Agarwal (SP), Ram Gopal Yadav (SP), T K Rangarajan (CPI-M) and K P Ramalingam (DMK) seeking suspension of business under rule 267.
“If House is in order, I am ready to allow the motions to be moved,” Kurien said but unrelenting Congress members continued to shout slogans.
When the House reassembled at noon, agitating Congress members once again trooped into the Well of the House shouting slogans.
Chairman Hamid Ansari’s plea to allow the Question Hour to be taken up failed to pacify the agitating members, forcing him to adjourn the proceedings till 2 PM. As similar scenes prevailed at 2 PM, the House was adjourned for the day within a few minutes. (PTI)
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