Rajya Sabha disrupted again, adjourned for the day

Pandemonium prevails in the Upper House over proposed Telangana statehood

The Rajya Sabha witnessed disruptions again on Wednesday over proposed Telangana statehood and a variety of other issues, paralysing proceedings.

The first adjournment came soon after the house met at 11 a.m. as members created a ruckus.

Placards demanding united Andhra Pradesh and "save Andhra Pradesh" were flashed by members at Chairman M. Hamid Ansari.

A lone member from the Congress, along with members from the Telugu Desam Party, AIADMK, DMK, and Left parties went near the chairman's podium. While the Congress and TDP members were opposing formation of Telanga state, the DMK and AIADMK raised issue of Tamil fishermen.

Left leaders raised the issue of atrocities against women in West Bengal.

Chairman Ansari then adjourned the house till 12 noon.

The scenes were similar when the house reassembled.

AIADMK member V. Maitreyan kept tearing copies of the Rajya Sabha bulletin, which records the sum of the previous day's proceedings.

The bulletin has named Maitreyan, along with the Congress's K.V.P. Ramachandra Rao, TDP's Y.S. Chowdhary and C.M. Ramesh, AIADMK leaders A.W. Rabi Bernard, K.R. Arjunan, R. Lakshmanan, and DMK leaders Kanimozhi, T.M. Selvaganapathi, and S. Thangavelu for disrupting the house.

As the ruckus continued, Deputy Chairman P.J. Kurien asked Chowdhary not to block his face by waving a placard.

The TDP's Gundu Sudha Rani from Telangana region was seen displaying a placard for creation of a separate state.

A visibly upset Kurien then said: "Important bills are pending but there is lack of consensus...I am disturbed and with a disappointed heart, I am adjourning the house."

The house was then adjourned till 2 p.m. and finally for the day.