Oppn protest washes out RS proceedings

Another day of protest by the Opposition washed out proceedings in the Rajya Sabha on Friday, with no meaningful business transacted since the start of Monsoon session on July 21.

The Upper House witnessed two adjournments in the morning session. When it reconvened in the afternoon, the proceedings were wound up in 10 minutes. As soon as the House assembled in the morning, Samajwadi Party MP Naresh Agarwal sought to raise the issue of BJP MPs writing to the Chairman seeking action against Congress members protesting against “Lalitgate” and Vyapam scam, saying the House had no tradition of suspending members.

Congress members then rushed into the Well of the House, forcing Deputy Chairman P J Kurien to adjourn the House till 12 noon. When the House reassembled, the situation was same and Rajya Sabha Chairman Hamid Ansari adjourned it as he could not take up the Question Hour.

While no business was transacted in the pre-lunch session, six private member bills could be introduced post lunch after which there were sharp exchanges between Opposition and Treasury benches with the former insisting that no business was possible till the government met its demands.
Congress leader Anand Sharma said a consensus could be evolved that till their demands were met by the government, no business will be taken up in the House.

“There cannot be any debate till the House was in order. The House is in stalemate and the government is unrelenting when it came to finding a solution. This is arrogance of the government. We have made it clear that till the issues raised by us are resolved, the logjam will continue,” he said.