Houses disrupted, Opposition demands Arunachal Pradesh governor recall

Proceedings of both Houses of Parliament were disrupted on Friday as the Opposition closed ranks and demanded the recall of Arunachal Pradesh governor Jyoti Prasad Rajkhowa.

The Rajya Sabha saw three adjournments in the pre-lunch session as the Trinamul Congress and Samajwadi Party staged a walkout over the issue. In the Lok Sabha, Congress members led by Sonia Gandhi staged a walkout protesting against not being allowed to have their say on the issue. “Stop partiality,” agitated Congress members chanted as they left the House, with party leader Mallikarjun Kharge announcing a boycott of proceedings for the day. A peeved Lok Sabha Speaker on Friday directed her officials to note down the names of Congress members standing in the Well raising slogans against the government.

Protesting in the Rajya Sabha for the fourth consecutive day on the issue, Leader of the Opposition and senior Congressman Ghulam Nabi Azad said he has given a notice for adjournment of business to discuss the Arunachal Pradesh issue, saying the Central government was responsible for the stalemate in Parliament for the past several days.

The governor, he claimed, called a session of the Assembly without the consent or recommendation of the Cabinet and chief minister.