The Rajya Sabha was adjourned for the day on Wednesday as the treasury benches and opposition members clashed over alleged corruption charges against Minister of State for Home Affairs Kiren Rijiju during the post-lunch sitting.
Finance Minister Arun Jaitley challenged the opposition to debate the issue as he said the allegations were false.
Soon after the house passed the Rights of Persons with Disabilities Bill, 2014, Deputy Leader of Opposition Anand Sharma under Rule 267 of the house raised the issue of alleged corruption in a hydropower project in Arunachal Pradesh.
At this, the treasury benches started making noise and some of the members stood up.
The opposition members also stood up and started raising slogans against the government.
However, Deputy Chairman P.J. Kurien disallowed Sharma's notice, saying that allegations against a member of the house cannot be raised without prior notice to the Chairman as per Rule 238.
"You cannot suo motu raise it," Kurien told Sharma as he disallowed his notice.
Sharma said he was not making an allegation but "referring to the Chief Vigilance Officer's report which is already in the public domain".
Jaitley then stood up and challenged the Opposition to debate on the same.
"Let him raise it and listen to my reply. The allegations by the Congress party are totally baseless. I dare you to debate on this," Jaitley said.
The opposition members created a hullaballoo, and some of the ruling party members also joined the chorus. Amidst the pandemonium, the Chair adjourned the house for the day.
--IANS
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