Rajya Sabha witnesses repeated adjournments

The Rajya Sabha today witnessed repeated disruptions since it assembled in the morning, witnessing four adjournments, including three times in a row within minutes of being re-convened in the afternoon.

While the House was first adjourned till 2 PM within minutes after it met at 11 AM, it saw a spate of adjournments when it met again.

After Leader of Opposition Ghulam Nabi Azad spoke for some time accusing the government of not letting the legislative business be transacted, several opposition members trooped into the Well raising slogans.

This led Deputy Chairman P J Kurien to adjourn the House for 30 minutes till 2.45 PM.

Later senior DMK member Tiruchi Siva adjourned the House twice in quick succession, even ahead of any unruly scenes breaking out.

At 2 PM, Azad stressed that besides being responsible for passage of bills, MPs represent the people of India and have been mandated to raise issues of millions of people.

The Leader of Opposition said both the ruling party and the earlier government had given a commitment to grant special status to Andhra Pradesh after its reorganisation, which should be implemented now.

He said the Opposition wants a discussion on the banking scams and the CBSE paper leak.

On the SC/ST Act, he said the law has been made for their protection.

Soon after Azad spoke, members from the TDP stormed the Well of the House carrying "Save Andhra Pradesh" placards and implementation of the AP Reorganisation Act.

"Narendra Modi - Dalit Virodhi" (Narendra Modi is anti- Dalit), shouted Congress and BSP members. They also shouted "Dalit virodhi yeh sarkar, nahi chalegi, nahi chalegi" (This anti-Dalit government will not be tolerated).

Amid the uproar, Minister of State for Finance Shiv Pratap Shukla moved a resolution seeking increase in the basic customs duty on circuit boards from nil to 10 per cent.

Kurien said he cannot accept the position that no legislative business can be transacted and then adjourned the House till 2:45 pm.

Earlier in the day, Naidu called the protests, which have not allowed any business to be transacted since the House met on March 5, as a "murder of democracy".

Naidu expressed displeasure over repeated disruptions since Parliament met early last month for the second half of the Budget session.

He requested members to return to their seats and at least pass the anti-corruption bill. He said handful of people were obstructing proceedings over their agenda.