The Rajya Sabha was on Tuesday adjourned for the day amid slogan-shouting by opposition and TDP members minutes after it met at 3.30 p.m. following multiple adjournments during the day.
As the House was reconvened at 3.30 p.m., the opposition MPs as well as those from the Telugu Desam Party (TDP) trooped to the Chairman's podium.
The opposition MPs were shouting slogans against the government over various public sector bank frauds, particularly the Rs 12,600-crore Punjab National Bank (PNB) scam involving Nirav Modi.
On the other side of the podium (towards the treasury benches), the TDP members were agitating and displaying placards demanding "justice" for Andhra Pradesh in terms of a special financial package for the development of the state.
The TDP is a partner in the ruling National Democratic Alliance (NDA) which is led by the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP).
Deputy Chairman P.J. Kurien adjourned the House for the day after his repeated appeals to maintain order and discuss issues failed to convince the agitating members.
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Earlier, the upper House of Parliament saw repeated disruptions and consequent adjournments right after it met for the day at 11 a.m.
The first adjournment came minutes after the House met for the day.
The TDP and some Opposition MPs protested near the Chairman's podium, showing placards and raising slogans.
Rajya Sabha Chairman M. Venkaiah Naidu, who was presiding in the first-half, adjourned the House till 11.30 a.m and asked the party leaders to meet him in his chamber.
However, the meeting did not seem to be fruitful as the opposition members were on their feet and the TDP members trooped to the podium as earlier with placards as soon as the House met again at 11.30 a.m.
Naidu expressed his displeasure over the conduct of the MPs, saying he did not approve of such ways and "tactics" by the MPs, before adjourning the House till 2 p.m.
The scene was no different when the House met again at 2 p.m. Besides, the TDP and the opposition MPs, the All India Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (AIADMK) MPs too came near the podium, agitating over the Cauvery water issue. The AIADMK too is a BJP-friendly party.
Minister of State for Parliamentary Affairs Vijay Goel said the government was ready for a discussion on any issue and urged the members to return to their seats.
"All members who are in the well (near the podium), it is my request to them... This session is important, budget has to be passed. People of this country are watching, so I would request the members, whether it is AIADMK, TDP or Congress that we are ready for debate on banking irregularities," he said.
"We are ready for debate on any issue that the opposition wants to raise," he added over the noise.
As the agitating MPs did not relent, Kurien adjourned the House till 3.30 p.m.
--IANS
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