Logo

Logo

Parliament stalled for 7th straight day

Both Houses of Parliament remained stalled for the seventh consecutive day of the resumed Budget Session on Tuesday, with slogan-shouting,…

Parliament stalled for 7th straight day

Parliament of India (Photo: Facebook)

Both Houses of Parliament remained stalled for the seventh consecutive day of the resumed Budget Session on Tuesday, with slogan-shouting, placard-waving members of several parties in the Well again forcing the Chair of the two Houses to adjourn proceedings for the day prematurely.

Soon after the Lok Sabha assembled for Question Hour, members belonging to the TDP, YSR Congress and AIADMK trooped into the Well even before Speaker Sumitra Mahajan reached the podium. They forced the Speaker to adjourn the proceedings within minutes till noon.

As the House reassembled, the din continued with the Congress and Trinamul members raising the Rs12,700 crore Punjab National Bank (PNB) scam from their seats.

Advertisement

Mahajan allowed papers to be tabled amid uproar and then adjourned the House for the day.

Similar scenes were witnessed in the Rajya Sabha which was adjourned for the day without transacting any business minutes after it reassembled at 2 p.m.

As the Upper House met in the morning, Chairman M Venkaiah Naidu appealed to members to allow the House to function. The government, he said, has agreed for discussions on issues being pressed by the Opposition parties.

Naidu said discussions on the PNB scam, India’s biggest bank fraud, and other issues have been permitted under rule 176 that provides for a member to give notice of a short duration discussion for raising a matter of urgent public importance.

Opposition parties however sought a discussion on the bank scam issue under rule 168/169 that requires voting on a resolution.

The Chairman indicated that various parties were demanding discussions on different issues including the Cauvery Water Management Board, special package for Andhra Pradesh and the PNB fraud. “The government is agreeable to that and the Chair also permitted,” he said, adding “I don’t find any reason for agitation.”

He appealed to MPs not to bring banners and placards into the Well. “Let us put an end to this… it is my earnest appeal… Let the House function effectively. Let us raise the level of debate,” he said.

Trinamul MP Sukhendu Sekhar Roy said his party has given a notice for discussion on the PNB fraud issue under rule 168. He said rule 169 of Rules of Procedures of Conduct of Rajya Sabha requires 15 conditions to be met for raising such a discussion and his notice meets all of them.“If my motion is not accepted, principle of natural justice will be denied,” he said.

Naidu adjourned the proceedings till 2 p.m. the moment members from the AIADMK, Trinamul and TDP were on their feet over their respective issues.

As soon as the Upper House met in the afternoon, some members came near the Chair holding placards. Deputy Chairman P J Kurien repeatedly asked them to go back to their seats, but they did not relent. He then adjourned the House for the day.

Advertisement