RS adjourned once again on NRC issue

BJP chief Amit Shah could not initiate a short-duration discussion on Minimum Support Price for Kharif crops in the Rajya Sabha on Thursday as the Trinamool Congress created an uproar over the issue of the Assam National Register of Citizens (NRC).

The House was adjourned till Friday morning, minutes after the House reconvened at 2 pm for the post-lunch session.

Shah was to initiate the debate to highlight the government's decision to hike the MSP and highlight the schemes aimed at improving the condition of farmers in the country, but the ruckus didn't allow that to happen.

TMC MPs members trooped into the Well as House Chairman Venkaiah Naidu decided to take up the discussion and sought a reply from Home Minister Rajnath Singh over the NRC matter.

"As the chairman of Rajya Sabha, I also feel that injustice has been done to the home minister because even after patiently hearing all the views on an important and sensitive issue, he could not reply. Why did it happen, I do not want to get into all that now," Naidu said.

Senior NCP MP Sharad Pawar said, "the subject is very sensitive and is of national interest. Serious views were expressed and I think it is in the larger interest of the nation that we hear the home minister and know exactly what the government is doing," he said.

The leader of the Opposition Ghulam Nabi Azad also said, "if there is any party member from that state (Assam), he should be heard and the home minister should reply."

As TMC MPs members insisted on a reply from the home minister, Naidu said, "every day it has become a fashion. Let the live telecast be on, let the country see what is happening. What is this? You do not want to discuss even farmers' issue".