New Delhi: Rajjya Sabha witnessed repeated disruptions today as members from opposition parties raised slogans against the government and demanded a debate on the Citizenship Amendement Act and NPR.
The House was adjourned within three minutes of reassembling at 2 pm as members from the Congress and TMC continued shouting slogans and did not allow BJP’s Bhupender Yadav to move a Motion of Thanks on the President’s address.
Deputy Chairman Harivansh Narayan Singh told protesting members that they can talk on the CAA issue and all related matters during the discussion on the Motion of Thanks to the President’s address. As Harivansh made repeated appeals to members to return to their seats and allow the House to function, Yadav said the House must be in order for him to proceed.
However, as members were unrelenting and protests continued, Harivansh adjourned the House till 3 pm. Earlier when the House reassembled at noon, members from Congress, Trinamool Congress (TMC) and Bahujan Samajwadi Party (BSP) were up on their feet demanding an immediate discussion on CAA, National Population Register (NPR) and the National Register of Citizens (NRC).
Deputy Chairman Harivansh said he cannot allow discussion on issues on which the chairman has already given a ruling on adjournment notices given by Opposition parties. Leader of Opposition Ghulam Nabi Azad said, “I have a fundamental issue. We run the House based on rules. There is Rule 267 for discussion. Why there is such a rule in the book if it is not allowed.”
The Chair did not yield to members’ demand and began to take the Question Hour, but Opposition members were on the aisle while TMC members trooped into the Well protesting against CAA, NRC and NPR. Azad insisted that the discussion should be allowed because people are being allegedly killed in BJP-ruled states across the country. As there was no order in the House, the Chair was forced to adjourn the proceedings till 2 pm.
In the morning Chairman M Venkaiah Naidu disallowed notices given by several opposition members to discuss the issue and then adjourned proceedings till noon after MPs belonging to the Congress, TMC, Left and BSP rose to raise the issue.
Naidu said members will get enough opportunity to raise the issue during discussion on the Motion of Thanks on the President’s Address to the joint sitting of both Houses of Parliament.
The President’s address had specific mention of the amended citizenship law and it can be discussed during the debate on the Motion of Thanks, he said.
However, Satish Chandra Mishra of the BSP, Derek O’Brien of the TMC, T K Rangarajan of the CPM and other opposition members rose to speak on it. Naidu cut them short, saying he has already given a ruling on adjournment notices and cannot allow them to speak now.
As other opposition members joined them, Naidu adjourned proceedings. Naidu said he had received notices from leaders such as Ghulam Nabi Azad and Anand Sharma of Congress, TMC leader O’Brien, Binoy Viswam of the CPI and others under Rule 267 seeking setting aside of the business of the day to take up discussion on issues related to NPR and Citizenship Amendment Act.
Also, call attention notice has been received from Subramanian Swamy on related issue. He, however, said members could raise the issue during
the Motion of Thanks on the President’s Address.
When the House met for the day at 11 am, Naidu read out an obituary reference on the passing away of Sultan of Oman Qaboos Bin Said Al Said and also on the death of 29 people and animals in Australia’s bushfires.
Members stood in silence as a mark of respect to departed souls. Naidu also mentioned sitting member M C Mary Kom being awarded the Padma Vibhushan, saying she is the first woman spokesperson of the country to be decorated with the award.
He also mentioned the award being conferred on former members Arun Jaitley, Sushma Swaraj, George Fernandes and Manohar Parrikar.