Parliament stalled over Rafale deal, Ram Mandir

New Delhi: The proceedings in both Houses of Parliament were washed out for the second consecutive day on Thursday as the Opposition members and even NDA ally Shiv Sena continued their protests on several issues, mainly the alleged corruption in the Rafale deal, the building of the Ram temple and Cauvery river waters.

While the Lok Sabha was adjourned Wednesday without transacting much business, the Rajya Sabha passed a bill amid noisy scenes.

The Lok Sabha saw repeated adjournments amid the Opposition protests. The House was adjourned twice during Question Hour, and later adjourned for the day during Zero Hour, where only two members got a chance to speak.

Besides the Opposition members, Shiv Sena MPs also held protests in the House seeking a law for construction of the Ram Temple in Ayodhya. Speaking in the House, Sena leader Anandrao Adsul said that the BJP had got a full majority but “forgot” Hindutva, which was the main reason behind the alliance between the two parties. As the protests continued, Speaker Sumitra Mahajan asked the members to allow the House to function, but in vain.

The House was then adjourned for the day. Earlier, as soon as Question Hour began after paying tribute to the martyrs of the 2001 Parliament attack, Congress, Telugu Desam and AIADMK members rushed to the Well raising slogans, after which the Speaker adjourned the House.

TDP member Venkateshwara Rao (Babu) used a mike put in the Well for the oath of a new member to prop up a poster seeking special status for Andhra Pradesh.

A Lok Sabha secretariat staffer tried to convince him not to use the mike. Parliamentary affairs minister Narendra Singh Tomar too tried to persuade him to keep down the mike, but in vain. The TDP member’s action invited the ire of Speaker Sumitra Mahajan, who warned him that he would be named. Once a member is named, he or she has to leave the chamber.

Congress member Sunil Jakhar was seen wearing a neon-reflective vest while standing in the Well.

The Speaker adjourned the House for nearly 10 minutes till 11.20 am. When the House reassembled, Ms Mahajan reminded members that they could raise issues under various rules.

Apparently referring to the 2019 Lok Sabha polls, she said it was a “crucial time” and urged members to use it to raise issues related to the public. She said the Lok Sabha was for all states and regions, and all should get a chance to raise their respective issues.

The Opposition members, however, were unconvinced and returned to the Well. As the bedlam continued, the House was adjourned for nearly 30 minutes till noon.

The Rajya Sabha was also adjourned for the day without transacting any business after protests by Tamil Nadu parties inside the Well over the Cauvery river issue. Chairman M. Venkaiah Naidu warned that he would be forced to adjourn the proceedings for the day if the members did not return to their seats and allowed the House to function. He said discussion on all issues, including on Cauvery river waters, would be allowed.

As his repeated pleas to members to allow the House to function fell on deaf years, he adjourned the proceedings till Friday.