Rajya Sabha adjourned for day as opposition keeps up protests

Govt has turned many bills into money bills, which is not a good practice, Naresh Agarwal of the Samajwadi Party

Proceedings in the Rajya Sabha were repeatedly disrupted on Tuesday and the house eventually adjourned for the day as the opposition insisted on the presence of Prime Minister Narendra Modi alleging that the upper house of parliament was sought to be bypassed.

When the house, which had already witnessed two adjournments during the pre-lunch session, reassembled at 2 pm, Naresh Agarwal of the Samajwadi Party said the importance of the Rajya Sabha was being undermined by the government as it was changing nature of bills to avoid the need for the upper house's nod.

"An MP has commented on social media, asking people, if there was any need for the Rajya Sabha," he said, adding that it was a major disregard to the house.

Claiming that the nature of bills was being changed, he said: "The government has turned many bills into money bills, which is not a good practice."

Agarwal also demanded the formation of a committee that could explore the possibility of amending the Constitution's Article 110 "to ensure honour of the House".

His party leader Ram Gopal Yadav and some Congress members also supported him on the issue with Yadav saying that "rights of the Rajya Sabha cannot be given to the Lok Sabha".

"Importance of the Rajya Sabha must not be undermined," he said.

Reacting to it, Deputy Chairman P J Kurien said the Constitution is "very clear" on what money bill is and what is not.

But this did not satisfy the opposition members and they commenced shouting slogans against Modi.

Amid the ruckus, the House was adjourned for the day.

The Lok Sabha and the Rajya Sabha have not been able to carry out any meaningful business during the Winter Session of Parliament which began on November 16.