Ruckus in Rajya Sabha over National Herald case

The Rajya Sabha on Wednesday witnessed a ruckus for the second successive day over the National Herald case as Congress members stalled the proceedings, forcing two brief adjournments during zero hour.

Soon after the house assembled for the day, Congress members stormed the chairman's podium raising the issue of summons to party president Sonia Gandhi and vice president Rahul Gandhi in the National Herald case.

The Congress members shouted slogans against Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

Members of the Biju Janata Dal (BJD) also protested against the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party on the Polavaram project, a multi-purpose dam in Andhra Pradesh whose reservoir spreads into parts of Odisha and Chhattisgarh.

Amid the din, Deputy Chairman P.J. Kurien adjourned the house till 11.30 a.m.

When the house reassembled, Congress and BJD members trooped near the podium.

Meanwhile, Minister of State for Parliamentary Affairs Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi said: "The Congress party is stalling the development of the county. Whistleblowers protection bill and the ST/SC (prevention of atrocities) amendment bill are listed in today's business."

He said that government is ready to discuss any issue.

"If the Congress party feels any kind of discrimination, we are ready to discuss. They are protesting inside and outside parliament," he said.

Leader of Opposition Ghulam Nabi Azad said: "We want discussions against Chhattisgarh and Madhya Pradesh governments."

As the ruckus continued, Kurien adjourned the house till 12 noon.