Rajya Sabha adjourns for day; continued uproar over PNB scam

Proceedings in the Rajya Sabha were washed out on Tuesday due to continued opposition uproar over issues like the banking fraud, special package for Andhra Pradesh and demands for constitution of the Cauvery Water Management Board.

The House witnessed three adjournments during the day, with both Chairman M. Venkaiah Naidu and Deputy Chairman P J Kurien telling the opposition members that they were ready to hold discussions on the issues being raised by them. However, their appeals went unheeded throughout and the House was finally adjourned for the day at 3.35pm.

As soon as the House assembled for the fourth time during the day at 3:30pm, the opposition members again trooped into the Well raising slogans.

Amid the din, Kurien adjourned the House for the day as the members remained unrelenting and continued to raise slogans and displaying placards on their demands over issues like PNB scam, Andhra Pradesh special package and setting up of the Cauvery Water Management Board.

Earlier in the day, the House witnessed unruly scenes with members from the Telugu Desam Party, All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam and Trinamool Congress trooping into the Well and raising slogans.

The Upper House was first adjourned soon after it assembled at 11am, then again at 11:30am and thereafter at 2pm till 3.30pm, when the chair finally called it a day.

Reacting to the disruptions, Chairman Naidu said, "I am not happy. I do not approve this sort of tactics. .... This is proving the public impression...Parliament is not conducting itself in a dignified manner."

PTI