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Opposition stalls Lok Sabha, Rajya Sabha over CBI, Rafale

Congress members too were in the Well of the House holding placards demanding a Joint Parliamentary Committee probe on the Rafale deal.

New Delhi: Both Houses of Parliament witnessed ruckus during the day and had to face multiple adjournments as members from Opposition parties protested over various isues.

Rajya Sabha was rocked by protests by parties like the SP, BSP, AAP, RJD and the TMC over alleged misuse of CBI, while the Congress members shouted slogans demanding a JPC probe into the Rafale jet deal, leading to adjournment of the House for the day. Lok Sabha witnessed ugly scenes on Monday with Samajwadi Party members tearing papers and throwing them at the Speaker’s desk, leading to adjournment of the House.

Meanwhile, the Lok Sabha faced adjournment after SP members protested since morning following reports that CBI may question party chief and former UP chief minister Akhilesh Yadav in connection with an alleged illegal sand mining case.

Congress members too were in the Well of the House holding placards demanding a Joint Parliamentary Committee probe on the Rafale deal.

Members of the SP and the BSP were on their feet as soon as listed official papers were presented, crying “political vendetta” in the CBI initiating a probe into alleged irregularities in the mining of minor minerals during 2012 and 2016 when Yadav held the mining portfolio in the Uttar Pradesh government. Left party members, too, got up to raise the issue of violence in Kerala over the entry of women in Sabarimala temple while Congress MPs were protesting on Rafale issue. Chairman M Venkaiah Naidu said he has received notices from some members under Rule 267 for suspension of business to take up discussions on issues but has not allowed any of the notices.

He asked members to resume their places and allow the House to function. “This is not the parliamentary way of functioning,” he said. “You can discuss all the issues under relevant rules.” Repeated pleas by Naidu asking members to go back to their places went unheeded, forcing him to adjourn proceedings till 2 pm.

Soon after the House reconvened, members of opposition parties stormed the Well shouting slogans alleging misuse of CBI and waving papers in front of Deputy Chairman Harivansh Narayan Singh. Some Congress members also shouted slogans demanding that a joint parliamentary committee (JPC) probe in Rafale issue. However, amid the din, Minister of State for AYUSH Shripad Yesso

Naik introduced two Bills — the National Commission for Indian System of Medicine Bill 2019 and the The National Commission for Homoeopathy Bill, 2019. The House was adjourned for 15 minutes but the protests resumed as soon as the Rajya Sabha reconvened, forcing the Deputy Chairman to adjourn proceedings for the day.

Meanwhile, the Lok Sabha faced adjournment after SP members protested since morning following reports that CBI may question party chief and former UP chief minister Akhilesh Yadav in connection with an alleged illegal sand mining case.

Congress members too were in the Well of the House holding placards demanding a Joint Parliamentary Committee probe on the Rafale deal.

The protests by SP, Congress, AIADMK and TDP led to three adjournments of Lok Sabha, before it was adjourned for the day by Speaker Sumitra Mahajan when SP members tore papers and flung them at her desk. SP members also tried to snatch the papers of Lok Sabha officials who were sitting at the desk of the Secretary General. SP member Dharmendra Yadav shouted slogans saying that the CBI has become a parrot of the BJP, and is “in alliance” with the ruling party. The ruckus by SP members in the House increased after the passage of ‘The Personal Laws Amendment Bill, 2018’. When the House started discussion on the next agenda item relating to natural calamities in various parts of the country, SP members started tearing papers, prompting the Speaker to adjourn the House for the day.

SP supremo Mulayam Singh Yadav was present in the House when his party members created ruckus. As soon as the House met for the day, Congress members trooped into the Well of the House with placards, demanding a Joint Parliamentary Committee probe into the Rafale deal.

Amid the uproar, Speaker Sumitra Mahajan adjourned the proceedings till noon. As the House met again, the protests continued and the Speaker suspended three AIADMK MPs and one TDP lawmaker for unruly behaviour. The Congress and SP members continued sloganeering and the Speaker again adjourned the House till 12.30 pm.

As Lok Sabha met post lunch, members from the Congress and the SP agains created uproar. Majahan then adjourned the House for 20 minutes till 2.30 pm. Amid the din, the House gave its nod to the amendments passed by the Rajya Sabha to ‘Right of Children to Free and Compulsory Education (Amendment) Bill, 2018’, and ‘National Council for Teacher Education (Amendment) Bill, 2018’.

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