Oppn MPs rush RS Well, protest divestment proposals

NEW DELHI, DHNS: The Rajya Sabha on Monday witnessed for the first time a group of Opposition MPs rushing to the Well of the House this session with Trinamool Congress lawmakers protesting against Budget proposals on disinvestment before walking out.

The Trinamool MP Dola Sen has given a notice to discuss the issue but Rajya Sabha Chairman M Venkaiah Naidu did not allow it.

Towards the end of Zero Hour, the Trinamool MPs sought to take up the issue and when Naidu disallowed, started sloganeering. "I will never work under pressure," Naidu said as the MPs rushed into the Well.

As Naidu proceeded with Question Hour, the MPs walked out in protest. Earlier in the day, the MPs had staged a protest near the Gandhi Statue in Parliament House complex.

Since the start of this session, after Narendra Modi returned, Rajya Sabha had not witnessed Opposition MPs rushing into the Well.

It was not just Trinamool MPs who walked out. MPs belonging to DMK, CPI(M) and CPI walked out during Zero Hour protesting against the President's refusal to give assent to two Bills unanimously passed by Tamil Nadu Assembly seeking exemption from NEET examination.

AIADMK floor leader A Navaneethakrishnan and his DMK counterpart Tiruchi Siva raised the issue in the House, claiming that the President's refusal to clear the Bills were an affront to the federal structure of the country.

They said students from poor and regional background are not able to crack the entrance test for medical courses as they are not following the CBSE syllabus and inability to go for coaching.

Earlier, Siva had claimed that coaching institutes across the country had made Rs 12,000 crore from students appearing for NEET. (Ends)