Rajya Sabha faces repeated adjournment over National Herald case

The scene was no different when the House again resumed at noon with the protesting members continuing slogan – shouting from the Well when Chairman Hamid Ansari called for the Question Hour.

Congress leader Ghulam Nabi Azad defended the disruption of Parliament, accusing the BJP and its government of letting loose their MPs and agencies on the Opposition.

Members of the All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam also moved into the aisles in the morning demanding that the devastation caused by the Chennai floods be declared a national calamity.

The Rajya Sabha on Wednesday witnessed repeated adjournments in the pre-lunch session after the Congress members created a ruckus over the National Herald case for the second consecutive day and the BJD members protested over the Polavaram project.

“Ministers are sitting in the House to answer questions of members”.

Kharge alleged that the rules for the opposition and the ruling party were not equal.

He said Congress members had also raised slogans with their back to the prime minister but did not express any regret over their behaviour.

The noisy scene in both the houses forced both the speakers of Upper and Lower Houses to adjourn.

There have been discussions on corruption in Madhya Pradesh, there was no action, there was no FIR.

Minister of State of Parliamentary Affairs Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi charged the Congress with politicising the National Herald case.

When the House re-assembled at 2pm, Naresh Agrawal of Samajwadi Party, who was to speak on the Whistle Blowers Protection (Amendment) Bill, said there was no Cabinet Minister in the House even though Minister for Social Justice and Empowerment Thawar Chand Gehlot was present. He added an ED officer who shut the case was replaced with another, who reopened it.

He said the Congress which had asked for a debate on price rise and intolerance was not willing to take up the matters.

At one point of time, BJD members also trooped into the Well carrying placards opposing the multi-purpose Polavaram irrigation project.

“We do not support the demonstration held by the Congress which stopped the proceedings of the House”, said party leader Kiranmoy Nanda.

The protests in the two houses began after the Delhi High Court on Monday dismissed the plea of Sonia Gandhi and Rahul Gandhi to quash the summons issued to them regarding their personal appearance by a trial court in the National Herald case.

There is Lalitgate but no FIR has been registered.

Naqvi responded by saying that the government is ready for a discussion on corruption issues but Sharma countered saying, “First register FIR, then take action and then we will discuss”.