RS adjourned for about 1 hr over protest by opposition members

The Rajya Sabha was adjourned for the second time today amid protest by opposition members, including those from the Congress and the Trinamool Congress (TMC), alleged that their voice was being "muzzled".

They were protesting apparently against the adjournment of the House within minutes after it had assembled till 2 PM, thereby doing away with the Zero Hour and the entire Question Hour when issues of public importance are raised.

The opposition parties members led by Leader of Opposition Ghulam Nabi Azad and Derek O'Brien of TMC also did not agree to Dy Speaker P J Kurien's suggestion to meet the Chairman Venkaiah Naidu in his chamber and resolved the deadlock.
 

"I would request you to be in he Chairman's Chamber. I cannot resolve (the issue) here," said Kurien.

However, O'Brien pressed for a open debate in the House, saying "Whatever has happened at 11.10 AM did not happen in the chamber, but here only."

Azad said the Chairman's action was against the established rules, regulation and procedures and alleged that "nobody can run the House according to his whims".

"Let every one speak for one minute only," he said, adding "our voice is muzzled outside and even inside."

Several other opposition members were also on their feet, demanding debate over a notice moved under rule 267 that was earlier rejected by the Chair.

"You can raise it with the prior permission of chair only. You cannot change the rule. Hon'ble Chairman has exercised that rule. What can I do," said Kurien expressing his inability.

Irked over slogan shouting by opposition MPs, Kurien then adjourned house till 3 PM.

Earlier, soon after the Upper House had assembled for the day, Chairman M Venkaiah Naidu had adjourned the proceedings till 2 pm amid protest by TMC members over an issue they wanted to raise through an adjournment motion under rule 267.

Responding to the issue on which a notice was moved by Derek O'Brien (TMC), Naidu had said he has received notices from TMC, Akali Dal and TDP and those have not been accepted.

"You don't want to run the House, I am adjourning the House till 2 PM," Naidu, who was apparently irked over slogan shouting by opposition MPs from the Well, said. Yesterday also, Naidu had adjourned the proceedings in the morning till 1400 hours.