NEW DELHI, Mar 20:
Ruckus created by parties from Andhra Pradesh and Tamil Nadu today paralysed proceedings in Parliament for the 12th straight day.
The Lok Sabha was first adjourned till noon and then for the day due to the ruckus created by several protesting parties, leading Speaker Sumitra Mahajan to announce that she was unable to take up the no-confidence motion as there was no order in the House.
The Rajya Sabha was adjourned for the day within about 30 minutes since it assembled after Swaraj made a suo moto statement on the Indians killed in Iraq.
After she made the statement, Chairman M Venkaiah Naidu termed it as “a very sad news”, following which members in the Upper House stood in silence to mourn the dead.
Minutes before Rajya Sabha was adjourned for the day amid ruckus by Tamil and Andhra parties, the Congress hit out at the Government for the stalemate saying it was not making an effort to engage with all parties to ensure that issues like banking fraud are debated in the House.
Leader of the Opposition Ghulam Nabi Azad said they wanted the House to function and debate three pressing issues as well as the Budget and other legislative business.
While most of the opposition wanted Azad to make the statement, Tamil parties – DMK and AIADMK – as well as those from Andhra Pradesh including TDP trooped into the Well of the House shouting slogans for constitution of Cauvery Water Management Board and special status to Andhra.
Amid the din, he said 10 opposition parties including Congress, TMC, SP, BSP, DMK, NCP, CPI and CPI(M) had met this morning and agreed that the House should function.
Three major issues which are agitating the minds of people are “irregularities in banks where billions of rupees have been looted”, special category status for Andhra Pradesh and Cauvery water, Azad said, adding “we want that the House functions and discussions take place on the three issues.”
The Government is “responsible for the impasse” as it is not engaging with all political parties, he said, adding that no effective step has been taken so far to ensure that the House functions.
While Law Minister Ravi Shankar Prasad countered him saying the Government is prepared for debate on all issues including the banking fraud, Minister of State for Parliamentary Affairs Vijay Goel said the government has since the first day said it is prepared for any discussion.
Chairman M Venkaiah Naidu said he too had on the very first day said that banking issue needs to be discussed and the Government has also agreed to it.
“I don’t find any reason” for disruption, he said. “What is happening. This is no good.” But minutes later, he adjourned the proceedings for the day.
Both the Lok Sabha and the Rajya Sabha have not transacted any substantial business since March 5 when the second half of the Budget session of Parliament resumed, due to protests. The Lower House had passed the budget without debate last week.
In the Lok Sabha, Swaraj was unable to make an elaborate statement on the 39 Indians killed in Iraq, due to ruckus created by slogan-shouting members.
Amid din, the notices of no-confidence motion against the Government could not be taken up for the third day today.
The Speaker said the House was not in order and hence she cannot verify whether the members who have given the notices can go ahead with moving the motion.
Amid slogan shouting by members from various parties, the House was adjourned for the day with Mahajan terming the scenes as “unfortunate”.
A bill to ban unregulated chit fund schemes was also moved for introduction amid disruptions.
When the House met at noon, Mahajan ordered laying of the listed papers, but soon AIADMK and TDP members rushed into the Well and started raising slogans in support of their demands.
Congress members, who were at their seats, objected to the disruptions, saying this would prevent the notices of no- trust motion from being taken up.
The Speaker urged the members to maintain order as Swaraj wanted to inform the House about a “serious” issue. At this moment, Congress and Left members started raising slogans such as “no no”, drowning the voice of Swaraj.
“She wants to inform the House about the 39 Indians killed in Iraq. Please listen to her,” the Speaker said.(PTI)
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