Tharoor row forces adjournment of both houses

The ownership issue of IPL Kochi team involving Union Minister Shashi Tharoor today brought Parliament to a standstill with both the Houses being adjourned amid vociferous opposition demands for his sacking.

The Rajya Sabha plunged into turmoil as the opposition wanted a full-fledged discussion on the controversy surrounding Tharoor and the Kochi team, leading to adjournment of the House for the day.

Trouble started soon after the House met with opposition BJP demanding suspension of the Question Hour and taking up the Tharoor issue. As the protest continued, Chairman Hamid Ansari adjourned the House within few minutes upto noon.

When the House reassembled, BJP member M Venkaiah Naidu, joined by members from SP, AIADMK and JD(U), said that the government was not taking the concerns of the opposition seriously on this issue.

BJP members trooped into the well of the House forcing the Chair to adjourn the proceedings till Monday.

The Question Hour could not be taken up in the Lok Sabha. The House was adjourned twice over the issue -- once till 12 pm and then till 2 pm after Minister of State for External Affairs Tharoor tabled his statement on the Kochi IPL controversy amid pandemonium created by opposition.

When the House reconvened at 2 pm, SP members trooped into the well of the House asking the Government to sack Tharoor. BJP members also joined in.

Asking opposition parties to let the House run for conducting private members' business, Parliamentary Affairs Minister P K Bansal said, "I don't know for what they (opposition) are doing this. Do they want the House to run or not."

"What are they doing to democracy. A statement (by Tharoor) has already been given. They are hijacking the Parliament," he said.