Rajya Sabha paralysed over Lalit Modi, Vyapam issues

The opposition forced four adjournments by creating an uproar

Rajya Sabha was paralysed for the second straight day today as opposition forced four adjournments by creating uproar over the Lalit Modi and Vyapam scam of Madhya Pradesh.

The government, while ruling out any resignation, challenged the opposition for a debate.

Leader of the House and Finance Minister Arun Jaitley accused the opposition of doing politics of slogan-shouting as he pressed for starting the debate on the issue.

His comment came after Sharad Yadav (JD-U) said that the Ministers whose names have cropped up in the controversies should resign.

Yadav contended that if the accused ministers resign, they will emerge stronger after the probe clears their names.

To emphasise his point, he cited the resignation by him and BJP leader L K Advani after their names cropped up in the Jain Hawala case in 1990s, till their names were cleared.

The Upper House saw repeated adjournments in the pre-lunch session, with two each in the Zero Hour and the Question Hour, as opposition led by Congress continued the uproar demanding resignations of Ministers and Chief Ministers.

"There has been enough of politics of slogan-shouting. You start with the debate. The House will now allow slogan-shouting. If you have any logic, then you speak," Jaitley said as Yadav rose to speak.

An agitated Minister of State for Parliamentary Affairs Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi said, "there will be no resignations."

This agitated the opposition members, who created uproar.