AIADMK member forced to leave RS for disrupting proceedings

New Delhi, Apr 24 (UNI) In a rare incident, AIADMK member V Maitreyan was today forced to leave the Rajya Sabha for disrupting proceedings during Question Hour on the the issue of Shipping Minister T R Baalu allegedly misusing his position by asking GAIL to provide gas to companies with which his family was associated.

As soon as the House commenced proceedings, the AIADMK member rose to raise the issue which was disallowed by the Chair.

When the member persisted, Chairman Hamid Ansari asked the members to allow the Question hour to proceed. After repeated pleas by the Chair fell on deaf ears, the Chairman warned Dr Maitreyan that if he continued to disrupt the proceedings, action could be taken against him.

After a brief period, the Chairman, invoking relevant rule of the Rajya Sabha, said,''I have witnessed a situation I have never witnessed before. A senior member of the House is deliberately violating procedures.

''Under the re;evant Rules of the House, the Chair may direct any member who in his opinion is violating. I am invoking this rule against the member.'' Therafter, the AIADMK member left the House which then carried on with its normal business.

Yesterday too, the AIADMK member had raised the issue in the House.

Waving newspaper reports and some documents, the AIADMK member yesterday said that Mr Baalu had misused his position as minister and asked Gas Authority of India Limited (GAIL) to provide gas to the companies.

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