Oppn disrupts Rajya Sabha proceedings over suspension of MPs

Rajya Sabha did not transact any significant business for the second consecutive day as opposition parties continued their protest on Tuesday demanding the revocation of suspension of 12 MPs.

Union Health Minister Mansukh Mandaviya introduced The Assisted Reproductive Technology (Regulation) Bill 2021 and The Surrogacy (Regulation) Bill 2020 amid the din.

In all, the House witnessed two adjournments before the final one for the day at around 3.12 PM.

As the House resumed proceedings at 3 PM, Deputy Chairman Harivansh asked Mandaviya to introduce the bills.

With opposition members raising slogans, Parliamentary Affairs Minister Pralhad Joshi said that the treasury benches would also like the suspended MPs to participate in the proceedings of the House and they should apologise for their conduct so that their suspension could be revoked.

"We also do not want bills to pass amid the din. Through the Chair I would like to request them to apologise... the entire nation has seen what has happened..they have danced on the tables, gone to beat the marshal... tried to throw TV screens on the ground... the country has seen it all. If they continue like this, we will be left with no other option but to pass the bills in the din," he stated.

He further said: "If they apologise, the government is ready to take them back immediately."

As Mandaviya introduced the bills, repeated requests from Deputy Chairman Harivansh to maintain order went unheeded and the opposition members continued to raise slogans against the government.

Mamta Mohanta (BJD) managed to speak about the two bills. With the Opposition unrelenting, the Deputy Chairman adjourned the House for the day.

Earlier, as the House began the day's proceedings at 11 AM and the listed papers were laid on the table, some opposition MPs stood up and tried to speak.

Naidu said he has received a notice under the Rajya Sabha rule 267, that calls for setting aside the business of the day to take up the issue listed and is disallowing it.

"Your notice is under rule 267. I have gone through it. I have not permitted (it)," Naidu told Leader of Opposition Mallikarjun Kharge.

He, however, did not state the issue that was being sought to be raised.

As some opposition members stood up to protest, Naidu promptly adjourned the proceedings of the House till 2 PM.

Soon after the House resumed at 2 PM, Deputy Chairman Harivansh asked Mandaviya to move motions for consideration of the two bills.

But as the minister stood, Opposition members started shouting.

The Deputy Chairman reminded them that it was decided that the two bills would be brought together and three hours would be dedicated to discussing them.

As the opposition tried to raise their issues, Harivansh said only the listed business will be allowed to be discussed and no other matter would be taken up.

When he allowed Leader of Opposition Mallikarjun Kharge to speak, the latter took exception to Labour and Environment Minister Bhupender Yadav's interruption, terming it "undemocratic", and compared it to the suspension of the 12 MPS.

At this, the Deputy Chairman reiterated that only the listed business will be allowed to be discussed.

As far as the suspension matter was concerned, he said, the Chairman of the House has already stated that the matter should be resolved through a meeting between the Leader of the House and the Leader of Opposition.

Sanjay Singh of AAP and some other Congress members stormed the Well of the House twice. There was sloganeering by the members who were joined by TMC MPs.

TMC MP Derek O'Brien was also not allowed to raise the matter of suspension of the MPs.

Even as Mandaviya tried to present the two bills, the opposition members continued to protest after which the Deputy Chairman adjourned the house till 3 PM.

On Monday also, Rajya Sabha had witnessed multiple adjournments as the opposition parties including the Congress, the Left and the TMC demanded the revocation of suspension of 12 of their colleagues.

The 12 members of Rajya Sabha were suspended for the remainder of the winter session after the House passed a motion moved by the government against the MPs for their unruly'' and ''violent" behaviour during the monsoon session.