Amid noisy protests by TMC and Cong, Naidu holds ground during Zero Hour

Amid protests and sloganeering by opposition Congress and Trinamool Congress members to press for debate on CAA and NPR, Rajya Sabha on Tuesday carried on with its listed business during the morning session when as many as 21 issues of public importance were raised during the Zero Hour.

MPs from different parties highlighted issues like the spread of coronavirus, onion exports, Nirbhaya rape case, and locust attack on crops in some states, as Chairman M Venkaiah Naidu refused to yield to the demand of opposition members that routine business be suspended to take up the issues of CAA, NPR and NRC, saying they can raise them during the debate on the Motion of Thanks on the President's address.

The trouble in the Upper House started at the outset when Minister of State for Finance Anurag Thakur rose to lay the paper listed against his name. The moment his name was called, some opposition members started shouting slogans against him.

The Election Commission had recently barred Thakur from campaigning for the Delhi assembly elections in the wake of a controversial remark made by him at a poll rally.

Soon after Naidu dismissed notices from several opposition members to suspend the routine business of the day and take up the issue of Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA), National Population Register (NPR) and National Register of Citizens (NRC), Trinamool Congress (TMC) MP Derek O' Brien insisted that his notice be taken up.

Naidu said the issue of CAA has been mentioned in the speech of the President, and the matter could be discussed while debating the Motion of Thanks on the President's Address.

However, some TMC MPs trooped into the Well of the House and started raising slogans like 'Goli marna band karo' (Stop firing bullets) and 'Loktantra ki hatya nahi chalegi' (Won't tolerate murder of democracy).

The chairman, however, held his ground and ensured that the members are able to raise the issues listed for the Zeo Hour. He asked protesting members to return to their seats. Naidu even warned that he would take action against protesting members.

Earlier, when some members of Rajya Sabha met Naidu in the chamber seeking an opportunity to make zero hour submissions, he asked them to first impress upon their leaders to ensure normal functioning of the House, sources said.

"This is killing democracy, not allowing the House to function," Naidu said as some opposition members were raising slogans of 'save democracy'.

Naidu asked the opposition members to support, oppose or make suggestions while speaking on the Motion of Thanks, and let the House function.

Soon, several Congress MPs too joined the TMC members in sloganeering in the Well. However, the Chairman continued with Zero Hour proceedings.

Some of the protesting MPs, however, returned to their seats when their name was called out to raise the listed issues.

While the opposition members stopped raising slogans when MPs from the Congress, AAP and the DMK were raising their points, their protest resumed when members from the BJP or its allies stood up to speak.

Some ruling party members as well as YSRCR MP V Vijyasai Reddy too objected to the "selective protests" by the TMC and the Congress.

Just before the start of the Question Hour at noon, TMC members walked out of the House.