Rajya Sabha adjourned as opposition protests continue

New Delhi: Proceedings in the Rajya Sabha were washed out for the eighth straight day today, amid uproar by the opposition and NDA partner TDP on multiple issues ranging from India’s biggest Rs 12,700 crore banking fraud, special package to Andhra Pradesh and Cauvery water dispute.

The House was adjourned till 2 PM soon after it had assembled for the day. The Chair called it a day soon after it reassembled at 2 PM as uproarious scenes continued. When the Upper House re-assembled at 2 PM, the opposition members trooped into the Well raising slogans like “BJP Hatao, Desh Bachao” (remove BJP, save the country) and displaying placards.

Amid the din, Deputy Chairman P J Kurien, who was in the Chair, directed the Secretary General to read out a message from the Lok Sabha. The Rajya Sabha Secretary General of the informed the House about the passage of the Finance Bill and the appropriation bills by the Lower House, amid din. As the noisy protests continued, Kurien thereafter adjourned the House for the day.

Three of the SP members in the House – R S Tiwari, Chandrapal Singh Yadav and Neeraj Shekhar donned red caps as counting trends in the Uttar Pradesh Lok Sabha bypolls showed their party candidates leading in Phulpur and Gorakhpur, Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath’s constitutency. Earlier, the proceedings were adjourned till 2 PM as several parties continued their protests over multiple issues.

Before the adjournment, the House mourned the death of former member VPM Samy and Stephen Hawking, the legendary British theoretical physicist. The House also expressed grief at the death of nine paramilitary personnel killed in a naxal attack in Chhattisgarh yesterday, as well as ten trekkers killed in a recent forest fire in Tamil Nadu.

Soon after the listed papers were laid, several MPs trooped into the Well shouting slogans. While the Trinamool Congress and Congress led the charge against the bank fraud in the Punjab National Bank, Tamil Nadu parties carried banners demanding immediate constitution of Cauvery Water Management Board on the river water sharing.

Members of NDA constituent TDP carried placards demanding a special package for Andhra Pradesh. The embers stood in silence as a mark of respect to the departed souls. Chairman M Venkaiah Naidu asked the members to return to their seats and allow the Zero Hour proceedings. “This is not the way,” he said, ordering that no part of the protest would either go on record or be shown on television. He then adjourned the House till 2 PM.