Parliament failed to transact any business again today, the 12th consecutive day, as Opposition continued to disrupt the proceedings by demanding apology from Prime Minister Narendra Modi for his statements outside the House.
However, both the Lok Sabha and the Rajya Sabha saw Trinamool Congress, joined by Congress, BSP and some other Opposition parties, targeting the government over deployment of army at toll plazas in West Bengal.
They cried foul but the government, which termed it as a "routine exercise", slammed the Opposition parties for trying to politicise army and its activities, saying it reflected "political frustration".
In the Rajya Sabha, as soon as the topic got over and Chairman Hamid Ansari called for the first question, members of Congress, Trinamool, SP and BSP created ruckus, shouting slogans demanding Modi's presence and an apology from him.
Ansari told the protesting members to maintain order in the House and urged them not to "trample upon the rights of members asking starred questions."
But unrelenting members intensified shouting slogans -- "Pradhan Mantri Maafi Maango (PM should apologise), Rona Dhona Bandh Karo, Pradhan Mantri House mein aao (Stop crying, Prime Minister come to House).
The BJP members were on their feet to counter the Opposition and shouted "Jai Jawan, Jai Kisan" slogans.
Observing that "this is unfair", Ansari said "Why aren't you doing slogan shouting in the streets. This is not the place to shout."
The Chair's pleas to maintain order went unheeded and the House was adjourned till 1430 hours.
As soon as the House reconvened, the Opposition members again trooped into Well of the House and created ruckus by shouting slogans such as "Modi teri taanasahi nahin chalegi" (Modi, your dictatorship will not be allowed)".
BJP members were also shouting slogans countering the Opposition parties but nothing could be heard in the din.
The AIADMK members were also in the Well of the House, raising some demand but it was not clear what those were.
With Oppostion members unreleneting, Deputy Chairman P J Kurien adjourned the House for the day.
However, before adjouring the House, Kurien took up private members' legislative business amid din.
In the Lok Sabha too, a combative Opposition continued
vociferous protests over the demonetisation issue, forcing adjournment of the House for the day without transacting much business.
Marking another week of virtual washout of proceedings barring the passage of the Bill to amend the I-T Act without discussion, Speaker Sumitra Mahajan adjourned the proceedings for the day little past 1230 hours.
Opposition members, including those from Congress, TMC, AIUDF and the Left parties, trooped into the Well, resorting to high-decibel sloganeering. Some of them were even howling as the proceedings went on. AIADMK, RJD and NCP members were seen standing at their seats.
As the ruckus continued during Question Hour, a visibily peeved Mahajan said it was not proper to disturb other members and also warned the protesting members not to disrupt Ministers when they were giving replies.
"I am warning you, I will have to name you... I am again requesting you, this is not good, this is not proper, don't disturb others," she said.
While mentioning that they have been doing it for several days, Mahajan said, "I have not prevented you but please don't curb the rights of other members... Don't come to this side (in front of Treasury benches). Don't disrupt the Ministers who are replying to questions".
Notices for adjournment motion moved by various members from the Opposition were not allowed by the Speaker.
Amid the din, the House was adjourned for a brief while till noon amid protests during Question Hour, where as many as seven questions and supplementaries were taken up.
Members continued their protests after the House resumed at noon. The Zero Hour went on for little over half-an-hour before Mahajan adjourned the proceedings for the day.
Earlier, the row over Army taking over road toll plazas in West Bengal today echoed in both the Houses.
Trinamool Congress leaders in both Houses alleged that neither the state government nor local administration including police were taken into confidence on the exercise nor was their permission sought.
Congress and BSP too wanted to know from the government how such an unprecedented move to carry out an army exercise without taking state government into confidence was done.
In lok Sabha, Defence Minister Manmohar Parrikar termed it a "routine exercise not unique to West Bengal". He said similar operations had last month being conducted in Uttar Pradesh, Bihar and Jharkhand to collect information on heavy vehicle movement that can be used during national emergencies.
Along with West Bengal, similar exercise was carried out in Arunachal Pradesh, Manipur, Nagaland, Tripura, Meghlaya and Mizoram, he said while responding to TMC and Congress MPs.
He also stated that originally the exercise was planned for November 28-30 but was shifted to December 1 and 2 at the request of Kolkata Police as those dates were clashing with the protests against demonetisation.
"It is shocking that a Chief Minister is saying this. The Army's deployment was part of routine exercise which has been going on for several years, which has been going on for last 15-20 years. Even last year it was held on November 19 to 21," Parrikar said.
The Defence Minister said Army's Eastern Command has been
carrying out the exercise in West Bengal, Assam and other North Eastern states and a similar exercise has already been carried out in Uttar Pradesh, Bihar and Jharkhand.
"Concerned officials were informed in West Bengal. The original date was fixed for November 28 to 30 but due to Bharat Bandh the local police had advised the army to shift it to December 1 and 2," he said. "Due to traffic congestion, the exercise is being done with the help of local police."
"It is very unfortunate that army has been dragged into an unnecessary controversy," Parrikar said. "It was political frustration rather than projection of correct situation."
Trinamool leader Sudip Bandyopadhyay earlier raised the issue of army deployment at 19 places in West Bengal, claiming that the move was a challenge to the federal structure of the country and completely politically motivated.
He said army personnel were deployed at these places, including near the state secretariat, "without informing anyone in the state secretariat".
"It is a fantastic situation. Army today said that it was a routine exercise being carried out in the North Eastern states. But West Bengal does not come under the territorial jurisdiction of the Northeast," he said.
Bandyopadhyay said the people of the country have great faith in the Army but if indeed such an exercise was scheduled, the Centre should have communicated to the state government.
He said Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee has been staging a 'dharna' in the Secretariat demanding withdrawal of the Army.
Parliamentary Affairs Minister Ananth Kumar asked the TMC not to drag Army into politics saying defence personnel have been protecting the country as well as democracy. "Whatever the Army has done was part of a routine exercise. It is completely wrong to drag Army into politics," he said.
Raising the issue in Rajya Sabha, Leader of Opposition Ghulam Nabi Azad said army is India's pride as it has upheld its unity and integrity beside protecting the borders.
It has also come to the rescue during emergency situtions like flood and riots, he said adding that army is requisitioned at the request of a state government.
But in West Bengal, the chief secretary, administration and DG Police had no information of army taking over toll plazas at 19 locations in the state, he said.
"This is probably the first time that the chief minister of West Bengal has lodged this kind of protest where she stayed put for the night in the State Secretariat and is still there," he said. "This is a strange thing happening. Without asking state government, chief secretary or DGP, toll plazas of state government are taken over."
Azad said it is being said that Army was collecting information on truck movements but such an exercise is not even done in Jammu and Kashmir. All such information is available with National Highways Authority of India or road transport departments. "This is an issue of grave concern."
Sukhendu Sekhar Roy (TMC) said what happened in West Bengal has never been witnessed in the state's history. Army seized toll plazas and started putting stickers on vehicles.
"I will not drag the army in any controversy. We are very proud of the army," he said wanting to know under what provisions of law and Constitution was such a deployment carried out and alleging "sinister design" to "defame the leader opposing demonetisation" and creating "fear psychosis".
