Rajya Sabha witnessed repeated disruptions on Tuesday as Congress, CPI (M) and AAP members created uproar and demanded that Prime Minister Narendra Modi make a statement on the issue of US President Donald Trump's claim on Kashmir mediation.
As soon as the House resumed at 2 PM, Deputy Chairman Harivansh made an announcement about a cultural event in Parliament premises by physically challenged persons. Thereafter Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman moved The Appropriation Bill, 2019 and The Finance Bill, 2019.
Raising point of order, Congress leader Anand Sharma requested the Deputy Chairman to consider notices given by him and other members of the opposition seeking a reply of the prime minister in the House.
Sharma said, "I and other members of the opposition have given notices. We have rights as members of the House. There are certain traditions and dignity of the House. Whenever the prime minister goes out and whenever there is an international issue, the prime minister must reply. Let the prime minister come."
The Deputy Chairman said the Chairman has already given a ruling in this regard in the morning and the External Affairs Minister has also replied on this.
When the Deputy Chairman called Ashok Bajpai (BJP) to initiate a discussion on bills related to the Budget, Congress, CPI(M) and AAP members trooped into the well and started raising slogans demanding that the prime minister come to the House to reply on the issue.
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Despite members creating uproar, Bajpai kept on the debate.
At this point, Congress leader P Chidambaram intervened and said, "A large number of opposition members are agitated. Please adjourn the House and call a meeting of opposition members."
When Bajpai kept on speaking on bills, Chidambaram asked the Chair, "Do you want us to leave the House."
Union Minister Prakash Javadekar said, "They are disrupting proceeding of the House and infringing upon rights of other members to speak on bills. One of their members did the same in Lok Sabha."
Amid the din, the Deputy Chairman adjourned the House till 3 PM.
Earlier the Rajya Sabha was adjourned till noon after heated exchanges between Chairman and opposition members over Trump's statement on Kashmir mediation.
External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar in his statement in the House said that Prime Minister Narendra Modi made no request to US President Trump to mediate on the Kashmir issue with Pakistan
He said all outstanding issues between India and Pakistan can be discussed only bilaterally.
"I would like to categorically state that no such request has been made by the prime minister to the US President," he said after Congress and other opposition parties raised the issue in the House.
US President Donald Trump had on Monday claimed that Prime Minister Modi had asked him to play the role of a mediator on Kashmir.
The minister said it has been the consistent position of India that all outstanding issues with Pakistan can be discussed only bilaterally.
"Any engagement with Pakistan will require end to cross border terrorism," he said, adding Shimla and Lahore accords provide the basis for resolution of all issues bilaterally.
Opposition parties were, however, not satisfied by the statement of the External Affairs Minister and wanted the prime minister to come to the House and clarify.
This led to heated exchange between opposition benches and the Chairman M Venkaiah Naidu, who adjourned proceedings till noon.
When the House resumed its proceeding again at 2 PM the opposition again created uproar.
As soon as the Upper House assembled for Question Hour mentions, members of all opposition parties, including the Congress, SP, BSP, DMK, TMC and CPI(M), were on their feet and demanded that the prime minister should come to the House and explain.
With Deputy Chairman Harivansh continuing with the Question Hour, members from Congress, AAP and CPI (M) came into the well of the House and raised slogans. Members of SP, TMC and DMK continued to be on their feet.
Amid uproar, senior BJP leader Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi, who is also the minority affairs minister, rued that opposition parties do not trust their prime minister and government.
On demands that the prime minister make a statement in the upper house, Naqvi said the Opposition cannot dictate terms.
The External Affairs Minister has given a clear statement on the matter, he said, terming the opposition as "arrogant" and "irresponsible".
The statement made by Jaishankar is a collective response of the government, Naqvi said.
Harivansh urged members to return to their seats and let the Question Hour continue. As opposition members did not heed to his request, the Deputy Chairman adjourned the House till 2 PM.
Amid the chaos, some members asked supplementary questions related to the power sector and Power Minister R K Singh made a reply which could not be heard in the din.
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