No-trust motion not taken up in Lok Sabha due to protests

New Delhi: The no-confidence motion notices given by the Telugu Desam Party (TDP) and the YSR Congress against the government could not be taken up in the Lok Sabha on Monday as Speaker Sumitra Mahajan said the House was not in order due to noisy protests by several parties, that led to a washout of proceedings in both Houses of Parliament for the 11th consecutive day.

It was the second day that the Speaker could not take up the no-confidence motion notices. On Friday, the YSR Congress had submitted a motion which, however, could not be admitted.

While the Rajya Sabha was adjourned for the day within around 10 minutes after assembling in the morning, the Lok Sabha was first adjourned within a minute of the House assembling for the day, as AIADMK, TDP, YSR Congress and other Opposition members rushed to the Well of the House, shouting slogans on various issues. Ms Mahajan then adjourned the House till 12 noon.

Subsequently, the Lower House was adjourned for the day amid noisy protests by members of various parties, with Ms Mahajan saying that “since the House is not in order, I will not be able to bring it (motion)... I am sorry”, and then adjourning the proceedings.

Amidst the din, home minister Rajnath Singh said the government was ready for a discussion on any issue, including on the no-confidence motion.

The notices for the motion have been given by YSR Congress member Y.V. Subba Reddy and two TDP members — Thota Narasimham and Jayadev Galla. Both parties have been demanding a special package for Andhra Pradesh, an issue on which the TDP had quit the ruling NDA last week.

As soon as the House met for Zero Hour after Question Hour was washed out, TRS and AIADMK members rushed into the Well carrying placards. Soon after papers were laid on the table amid unrelenting slogan-shouting by members, home minister Rajnath Singh said that the government was ready to discuss any issue.

Some members had given notices for a no-confidence motion and the government was ready for a discussion on that as well, Mr Singh said, requesting all parties to cooperate so that the discussion can be taken up. The Speaker also repeatedly asked more than 25 members of the AIADMK and TRS, who were protesting inside the Well, to return to their seats.

As the uproar continued, Ms Mahajan said she was duty-bound to take up the no-confidence motion notices, but could not do so as the House was not in order. Since March 5, when Parliament reassembled for the Budget Session after the recess, both Houses have been facing disruptions every day. Last week, the Lok Sabha had passed the Finance Bill and appropriation bills without any discussion amid similar protests.

The Rajya Sabha was adjourned for the day without transacting any business after parties from Tamil Nadu and Andhra Pradesh disrupted proceedings over their state-specific demands. No sooner were the listed papers laid on the table, the Andhra parties led by the TDP and K.V.P. Ramachandra Rao of the Congress trooped into the Well.

Rajya Sabha Chairman M. Venkaiah Naidu repeatedly asked the members to allow the House to function, and called for taking up the listed Zero Hour mentions on various issues of public importance. But with members refusing to budge from their positions in the Well, he adjourned the House till Tuesday within 10 minutes of proceedings having begun.