Protests over Assam NRC disrupts RS proceedings

The issue of Assam's National Register of Citizens (NRC) today rocked the Rajya Sabha, amid vociferous protests by TMC members, as the House failed to complete a discussion on the issue and a reply on it by Home Minister Rajnath Singh.

Trinamool Congress members forced an adjournment of the Rajya Sabha for the day just after 2 PM, amid strong protests by them over the issue. The House had witnessed an adjournment in the morning too.

Soon after listed papers were laid after the House assembled in the morning, Congress members created an uproar insisting on removal from the records certain remarks made by BJP chief Amit Shah during the debate on the NRC yesterday.

Senior Congress MP Anand Sharma raised a point of order and insisted on removal of Shah's comments. Several other Congress members were also on their feet to support Sharma.

Leader of Opposition and senior Congress leader Ghulam Nabi Azad too said that the record of proceedings of the House must be looked into.

Sharma said Shah, during his speech on the NRC debate, had termed all prime ministers in office after late Rajiv Gandhi as "bujhdil' (coward).

In an apparent jibe on the ruling Bhartiya Janata Party, he said one of the Prime Ministers, Atal Bihari Vajpayee belonged to the BJP.

Chairman M Venkaiah Naidu assured Sharma that he would go through the records and asked Shah to resume his statement, which he had not been able to complete yesterday as the House was adjourned midway due to uproar.

As Shah rose to continue his statement, there were protests from Congress and some other opposition MPs too joined them.

Naidu said it seemed some members were "not interested" in the discussion and warned Sharma that he would be named. He also advised members to maintain decorum and cooperate for orderly function of the House.

The Congress MP said he would go out of the House. To this, Naidu said, "You go". However, Sharma stood up only to resume his seat.

As some opposition members were still on their feet, Naidu adjourned the House till noon.

The House reassmbled at noon and took up the Question Hour, which went on virtually without any hitch till the lunch break.

When the House reconvened at 2 PM after the lunch break, Sukhendu Shekhar Roy of the Trinamool Congress stood up and raised a point of order as BJP President Amit Shah was asked to conclude his speech.

Naidu responded to the point of order, saying he has allowed Shah to complete his speech.

Roy said "if any member who is so called upon does not speak, he shall not be entitled except with the permission of the Chair. Here, in this case, one honourable member has already spoken. How can he speak twice? There is no provision in the rules."