New Delhi: The Rajya Sabha proceedings were adjourned for the day Friday amid repeated disruptions by Opposition members who were demanding Home Minister Amit Shah’s presence in the House.
As soon as the House met at noon, there was uproar after Chairman C P Radhakrishnan took up the Question Hour.
Opposition party members began slogan-shouting and also raised the issue of alleged theft of donations at the Ram temple in Ayodhya.
The Chair went ahead with the listed business of the day amid din.
Members from the Treasury benches protested against the Opposition’s continuous disruptions.
As the pandemonium continued, the Chair adjourned the House till Monday.
Earlier, the Rajya Sabha was adjourned till noon due to noisy protests by the Opposition.
When the House proceedings began at 11 am, Opposition MPs led by the Congress raised slogans seeking the presence of the Home Minister in the House, which were countered by the Treasury benches.
Soon after the listed papers were laid on the table of the House, Leader of the Opposition and Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge raised the issue of the continued absence of the Home Minister from the House during the ongoing monsoon session.
Opposition parties have been demanding a statement in the House from Shah the July 20 police action on protesters marching towards Parliament. They were protesting against the National Eligibility cum Entrance Test, or NEET paper leak.
Parliamentary Affairs Minister Kiren Rijiju, however, said that the Home Minister is present in the Parliament throughout the day.
Ministers attend Parliamentary proceedings according to their ministries’ agendas, he said, adding that the Opposition cannot decide which minister will come to the House and when.
Rijiju said that the Congress and other Opposition parties raise slogans and then walk out of Parliament, and that he condemns this act.
Amid slogan-shouting, Radhakrishnan called for Zero Hour mentions. A couple of MPs raised issues of public importance in the din.
The Chairman later adjourned the proceedings till 12 pm amid continuous protests.
