No Question Hour for ninth day in Parliament

The imbroglio in Parliament over a joint Parliamentary probe into the alleged irregularities in the 2G spectrum allocation continued for the ninth day with the Lok Sabha and the Rajya Sabha adjourning till noon following uproar.

Even before Lok Sabha Speaker Meira Kumar could take her seat, opposition members including those from the BJP, Shiv Sena, BJD, JD(U), SP were in the well demanding setting up of a Joint Parliamentary Committee to probe reports of irregularities in allocation of 2G spectrum.

Hardly did the Speaker take up the Question Hour, Harish Choudhary (Cong) started making an impromptu speech on irrigation projects in his home state of Rajasthan. His was the first question listed for the day.

The JD(U)-BJP combine's march towards a landslide win in Bihar Assembly elections also found an echo in the Lok Sabha, with some BJP members raising 'Jai Bihar' slogans along with the now common 'We want JPC'.

The Opposition members were countered by those from the treasury benches who waved placards demanding the resignation of Karnataka Chief Minister B S Yeddyurappa over corruption charges.

Some Congress members almost rushed to the well with placards and raised slogans 'Book Bellary Brothers', 'Sack Yeddyurappa'. J M Aaroon Rasheed (Cong) was seen raising slogans against Yeddyruappa in the well, prompting Parliamentary Affairs Minister Pawan Kumar Bansal to ask him to retreat to the aisle.

The sloganeering and counter-sloganeering continued for a while and the Speaker adjourned the House till noon.

Rajya Sabha too was thrown into pandemonium as Chairman Hamid Ansari took his seat and called for the first listed question of the day.

Opposition BJP and AIADMK members trooped into the well shouting "We Want JPC" and "Bhrastachari Sharam Karo" (Shame on Corrupt).

"Please don't come into the well," Ansari told the opposition members even as he advised the ruling benches not to display banners. The members, however, were adamant and continued slogan shouting.

Ansari then adjourned the House till 1200 hours.

The Question Hour was taken up in the Lok Sabha only on November 9, the first day of the Winter Session, while the Rajya Sabha had adjourned for the day as a mark of respect to a sitting member who died during inter-session period.

Since November 10, Parliament has not transacted any significant business and both the Houses have been witnessing adjournments barely minutes after meeting.