Opposition protests force adjournment of Lok Sabha proceedings

Opposition parties today continued their tirade against the government in the Lok Sabha over the demonetisation issue as vociferous protests and slogan shouting forced adjournment of the proceedings twice before noon.
With a combative Opposition raising their pitch and protesting in the Well, Speaker Sumitra Mahajan adjourned the House for an half-an-hour soon after the Question Hour began.
More than 30 Opposition members, including those from the Congress, TMC and the Left parties, trooped into the Well shouting slogans and some of them also resorted to howling. Members from the AIADMK were seen standing at their seats.
Congress leader Mallikarjun Kharge tried to raise some issue relating to the Bill to amend the IT Act but Mahajan did not grant him permission. The Bill was introduced in the House yesterday and is listed in today's business for consideration and passage.

Amid the din, one question and related supplementaries were taken up during the Question Hour.
As the ruckus continued, Mahajan wondered what was happening before adjourning the proceedings till 1130 hours.

After the House resumed following the short adjournment, Opposition members again rushed to the Well and raised slogans demanding admission of an adjournment motion to discuss the demonetisation issue.
As the protesting members continued sloganeering, the Speaker asked them to return to their seats, but to no avail. She, however, took another question amid the noisy scenes.
"What you are doing is not fair. Please go to your seats," Mahajan said before adjourning the House till noon.

(Reopens PAR5)
The House saw disruption from Opposition members again
when it met at noon as they trooped into the Well raising anti-government slogans.
When the Lok Sabha met at 1400 hours, the House was
adjourned for the fourth time, but only this time the reason could not be ascertained.
The opposition leaders once again raised the demand for a debate on demonetisation through an adjournment motion but no one trooped into the Well.
But Hukum Singh (BJP), who was chairing the proceedings, asked them to wait till he asks members to lay the matters of urgent public importance they wanted to raise.

He immediately adjourned the House till 1430 hours there after. At that time, there was no din and no opposition member was in Well.
Finance Minister Arun Jaitley, who is slated to move a bill to amend the Income Tax Act for consideration and passage, was also present.
After the House was adjourned, Minister of State for Parliamentary Affairs S S Ahluwalia was seen talking to senior Opposition members, apparently seeking their support to get the bill passed.