Rajya Sabha witnesses disruptions over PNB fraud

New Delhi: Opposition parties stalled proceedings in the Rajya Sabha for the second day today, forcing an adjournment till 11.30 hours over the PNB banking fraud, special package for Andhra Pradesh and constitution of the Cauvery Water Management Board. As soon as the listed papers were laid on the table, TMC members, legislators from Tamil Nadu and Andhra Pradesh rushed into the well of the House shouting slogans.

While TMC members raised slogans demanding that the alleged mastermind of the banking fraud Nirav Modi be brought back to the country, the AIADMK and DMK carried placards demanding constitution of the Cauvery Water Management Board for division of Cauvery water between Karnataka and Tamil Nadu.

The TDP and a Congress member demanded implementation of a special package for Andhra Pradesh to make up for the loss after a separate Telangana was carved out. Chairman M Venkaiah Naidu asked members not to shout slogans and display banners. “This is not the way. This is Parliament. This is not a bazaar,” he said, remarks which went unheeded.

He asked members to withdraw from the well and stop displaying placards. “You are insulting yourself. You are making Parliament a laughing stock in front of the people of the country,” he said. Naidu said he cannot allow this to go on and adjourned proceedings till 11.30 hours. But before doing so, he asked leaders of political parties to meet him in his chamber to help resolve the impasse.