Rajya Sabha adjourns till tomorrow amid protests

New Delhi: Rajya Sabha was today adjourned for the day after parties from Tamil Nadu and Andhra Pradesh disrupted proceedings over their state-specific demands.

The protesting MPs from the AIADMK, DMK and TDP entered the Well soon after External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj made a statement on the 39 missing Indians in Iraq and Leader of Opposition Ghulam Nabi Azad made brief remarks.

Yesterday also the House was adjourned for the day without transacting any business after parties from Tamil Nadu and Andhra Pradesh disrupted proceedings. The TDP and TRS members were shouting slogans for special status for Andhra Pradesh while Tamil Nadu parties – DMK and AIADMK- raised the Cauvery water issue.

Amid the protest, Minister of State for Parliamentary Affairs Vijay Goel today said the government was ready to discuss all issues. Goel said the Narendra Modi-led government has done good work and “we are not afraid” of anything, amid thumping of benches by BJP members.

In an effort to bring order in the House, Chairman M Venkaiah Naidu said that he has been stressing from day one that all important issues, including banking scam and Cauvery issue, should be debated. As the protesting members kept standing in the Well, Naidu adjourned the House for the day.