AIADMK protests in LS over CMB

Noisy protests by AIADMK members led to a washout of the Lok Sabha proceedings on Monday even as Parliamentary Affairs Minister Ananth Kumar trained his guns at the Congress for "creating ruckus" in the House.

AIADMK members waved placards and raised slogans for setting up the Cauvery Management Board (CMB) when the Lok Sabha re-convened at noon.

Speaker Sumitra Mahajan took up notices of no-confidence motion submitted by 12 Lok Sabha members representing seven political parties.

However, the Speaker expressed her inability to count 50 members standing at their assigned places in support of the no-confidence motion.

According to rules, a no-confidence motion can be taken up for debate in the Lok Sabha after it is supported by at least 50 members.

The Congress and BJP members remained seated in their assigned seats as the AIADMK members continued with their protests. Congress member Jyotiraditya Scindia was seen urging the Speaker to bring the House to order.

"If somebody is obstructing this no-confidence motion, it is the main Opposition party, the Congress party. They are creating ruckus," Ananth Kumar said.

Congress leader Mallikarjun Kharge countered saying that his party was ready for discussion on the no-confidence motion and urged the Speaker to proceed with it.

He also flagged the Congress' concerns on the leak of the CBSE question papers and the dilution of the SC/ST (Prevention of Atrocities) Act.

"Since the House is not in order, I will not be able to bring the notice before the House," the Speaker said before adjourning the proceedings for the day.

Later, addressing the media, Kumar hit out at Congress president Rahul Gandhi saying he was not serious about taking up the no-confidence motion.

"The Congress is disrupting the House proceedings on the direction of Rahul Gandhi. This will boomerang on the Congress, they will be reduced to dust in Karnataka," Kumar told reporters outside Parliament.