AIADMK creates ruckus, Rajya Sabha adjourned

AIADMK members on Tuesday created a ruckus in the Rajya Sabha demanding action against former finance minister P. Chidambaram's son Karti Chidambaram, forcing four adjournments in the pre-lunch sitting.

AIADMK members trooped near the chairman's podium soon after the house met at 11 a.m., raising slogans and demanding action.

Slogans like "arrest Chidambaram and his son", and "Take action against Chidambaram" echoed in the house as the chairman and deputy chairman tried to conduct the proceedings amid the protest.

Following the first uproar, minutes into the day's proceedings, Deputy Chairman P.J. Kurien adjourned the house for 10 minutes.

When the house reassembled, Kurien announced that a notice by AIADMK has been rejected as it was not in order.

While the AIADMK members kept raising slogans, a few zero hour mentions were read out by members.

Kurien also told the protesting members that it was not in his hands to take action.

"This is an issue the chair has nothing to do with. If you want action against a private individual you can approach the government. Why do you trouble me?" Kurien said.

However, as the din continued, the house was adjourned till 12 noon.

The scene was no different in the question hour and Rajya Sabha Chairman Hamid Ansari tried to get a few questions answered even as AIADMK members raised slogans.

The furious chairman then said: "Chair gets this impression that some honourable members are in the business of promoting specific newspaper this is very improper."

The house was then adjourned for 15 minutes.

With protests continuing the house was then adjourned till 2 p.m.

The Enforcement Directorate (ED) in December 2015 had conducted raids in Chennai at the premises of firms allegedly connected to Karti.

Karti later said neither he nor his family were shareholders in any of the firms.