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LS put off till 5 March amid stir by TDP, YSRC members

Amid protests by TDP and YSR Congress members for not giving special status to Andhra Pradesh, the Lok Sabha was…

LS put off till 5 March amid stir by TDP, YSRC members

Representational Image (PHOTO: Getty Images)

Amid protests by TDP and YSR Congress members for not giving special status to Andhra Pradesh, the Lok Sabha was adjourned on Friday for nearly four weeks. It will meet again on 5 March for the remainder of the Budget session.

Immediately after the House proceedings began on Friday, agitating members of TDP and YSR Congress displayed placards, shouted slogans and even entered the well demanding a special package for the state. “This cannot happen everyday,” Speaker Sumitra Mahajan told the protesting members. When they continued to disrupt proceedings, she adjourned the House till noon.

When the House reassembled at noon, the TDP and YSR Congress members against started slogan shouting. The Speaker first tried to convince the agitating members to allow the House to run. However, when the din continued she adjourned the house till 5 March after all the listed papers for the day were laid.

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Congress members were also on their feet demanding a response from the government on the Rafale fighter aircraft deal. Later when the House was adjourned, some TDP members were seen having a conversation with senior BJP leader L K Advani.

Persisting with his protests, TDP member N Sivaprasad was seen sporting a wig of long hair with hues of black and brown. Soon after the adjournment, some TDP members were seen having a conversation with senior BJP leader L K Advani for sometime in the House.

On Thursday, the TDP had made it clear that it would continue its protest until the demand of special category status to Andhra Pradesh is accorded at the earliest. Finance Minister Arun Jaitley, on Tuesday, had assured the agitating members that the Centre is looking at all issues concerning the state sympathetically and some decision on a special package and revenue deficit would be worked out in the next couple of days.

Meanwhile,the Rajya Sabha was disrupted twice on Friday as members from Andhra Pradesh, including NDA ally TDP, continued their protest over a special package for the state. Soon after the House met for the day and papers were laid on the table, Congress MP KVP Ramachandra Rao walked into the Well of the House holding a banner that read: “Implement Special Category Status, Andhra Pradesh Reorganisation Act, assurance given by PM on 20 February 2014.”

A group of TDP members soon joined him with their own placards and shouted slogans like “We want justice.” Chairman M Venkaiah Naidu asked members to return to their seats so that the Zero Hour could be taken up.

With members refusing to heed his requests, Naidu said he had two options before him~adjourn the house or name the MPs. Naidu, however, adjourned the proceedings till noon. When the House met again, Opposition members including Derek O’Brien suggested that the Question Hour be done away with and discussion on the Budget commence.

The chairman consented and Samajwadi Party MP Neeraj Shekhar began his speech. He said the Budget was not in the interest of weaker sections. However, members of the TDP and Rao again moved to the Well of the House. TDP members began shouting “We want justice” slogans.

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