Lok Sabha sees brief adjournment in pre-lunch session

The Lok Sabha on Monday witnessed two brief adjournments during the pre-lunch session following protests by opposition parties on various issues, including the Congress demand for a JPC probe into the Rafale fighter jet deal.

However, Lok Speaker Sumitra Mahajan conducted the Question Hour and Zero Hour amid the protests.

Soon after the House reassembled at noon after a brief adjournment, Congress, AIADMK and Telugu Desam Party (TDP) members trooped near the Speaker's podium and started sloganeering.

Raising the demand for a Joint Parliamentary Committee (JPC) probe into the Rafale deal, Congress leader Mallikarjun Kharge alleged that it was one of the biggest "scams" of the country.

"We are demanding a JPC probe for three weeks. Allow it," he said, questioning the government for not disclosing the price of the aircraft.

He claimed that the Rafale fighter jets have been purchased at a price three times higher than the UPA government's deal.

"Why the government is not disclosing the prices even as the French President has said it can be disclosed," he said.

Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh rejected the allegation asserting that a lie repeated again and again cannot become truth.

"The Congress should understand that a lie spoken many a times a cannot turn into truth. We have been ready for a discussion from the very first day. But why is the opposition party running away (from a discussion)," Singh said.

Amid the din, Mahajan conducted the Zero Hour but she had to adjourned the House till 2 p.m. when the agitating members continued with their protests.

Amid the din, BJP member Ravindra Kumar Pandey raised the instances of jobs not being provided under MNGREGA in Jharkhand while BJD's Bhratruhari Mahtab raised the issue of UPSC candidates not from English background being affected by the introduction of CSAT in the civil service examinations.

Several other members too raised their issues despite the opposition protest.

The Congress members were demanding a JPC probe in the 36 ready-to-fly Rafale fighter jets dealA while the AIADMK members demanded that the proposal to construct a dam across the Cauvery river at Mekadatu must be withdrawn.

The TDP raised several issues related to their demand for special status for Andhra Pradesh.

Mahajan, earlier, conducted the Question Hour amid the din when the House met for the day.

As the disturbances continued, she adjourned the House till 12 p.m. for 10 minutes.

--IANS

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