Rajya Sabha disrupted for sixth day

Rajya Sabha proceedings were washed out for the sixth day in a row amid uproar by opposition over various issues including special status for Andhra Pradesh.

As the House met on Monday morning, Congress and TDP members trooped into the Well seeking to raise various issues.

Two bills were introduced before Chairman M Venkaiah Naidu adjourned the House till 2 pm.

When the House met again in the afternoon, TDP members trooped into the Well raising the issue of delay in giving special status to Andhra Pradesh while other opposition members too were on their feet.

TMC and Congress members also went into the Well while other opposition members started raising slogans against the government.

Deputy Chairman Harivansh tried to pacify the members saying that the Chairman did not receive any notice regarding the issues being raised by them and therefore a discussion on them cannot be allowed.

He asked the members to go back to their seats so that the discussion on Motion of Thanks on President's address can continue and later the one on interim budge is taken up.

But when members refused to relent, Harivansh said, "It is unfortunate that members are not allowing discussion to continue despite consensus in business advisory committee" and adjourned the House for the day.

Earlier in day, several opposition members, including from the Trinamool Congress (TMC) and Congress, protested as External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj introduced the 'The Registration of Marriage of Non-Resident Indian Bill, 2019'.

Naidu, however. said the bill was just being introduced.

Tribal Affairs Minister Jual Oram introduced 'The Constitution (Scheduled Tribes) Order (Third Amendment) Bill, 2019'.

As soon as the listed papers were laid on the table of the House, members of TDP trooped into the Well demanding special status for Andhra Pradesh.

Several Congress MPs too entered the Well. Though they could not be heard in the din, in Lok Sabha the party had raised allegations related to horse-trading in Karnataka.

Law makers from the BSP and the SP, which have entered into an alliance for the next Lok Sabha polls, were heard raising the issue of deaths in Uttar Pradesh and Uttarakhand due to consumption of illicit liquor.

The Chairman appealed to the protesting members to return to their seats and not display posters.

But his appeals went unheeded following which Naidu adjourned the House till 2 pm.

Before adjourning the House, Naidu said he has received several notices under Rule 267, but none have been accepted.

Rule 267 provides for setting aside the business of the day to discuss the issue being raised.