RS disrupted over PM's remark against Renuka Chowdhury

Rajya Sabha proceedings were disrupted on Thursday after the Congress members created an uproar over Prime Minister Narendra Modi's remarks against party MP Renuka Chowdhury.

No sooner had the House mourned the death of its former member Frida Topno and the listed papers were laid on the table, Congress members were on their feet protesting against Modi's dig at Choudhury during his reply to the debate on Motion of Thanks on President's address on Wednesday.

Chairman M Venkaiah Naidu chided the members for their 'unbecoming' behaviour and asked them to resume their places.

"I have no option other than to adjourn the House," he said, suspending the proceedings till 1200 hrs.

Later, it was once more adjourned till 2 pm after opposition uproar over Andhra Pradesh issue. 

On Wednesday, during the reply, Modi had questioned the Congress's claim of being the originator of the biometric national ID Aadhaar when he said that the then Home Minister L K Advani had in 1998 spoken about an all-purpose national ID in Rajya Sabha.

This led to Chowdhury bursting into loud laughter. Naidu had disapproved of the behaviour but Modi asked him not to stop Chowdhury.

'Sabhapati ji meri aapse vinti hai Renuka ji ko kuch mat kahiye. Ramayan serial ke baad aisi hansi sunne ka saubhagya aaj jaake mila hai (I request you not to say anything to Renuka ji. After the Ramayan serial, we got the privilege of hearing this kind of laughter only today," he said, to the amusement of top Bharatiya Janata Party leaders and other ministers sitting around him.

Chowdhury had protested the remarks but the chairman did not allow her comments to go on record.

On Thursday, the Congress tweeted: 'We condemn PM Modi's derogatory remark in Parliament against former Union minister and RS MP Renuka Chowdhury.'

'We also urge the RS Speaker Shri Venkaiah Naidu to not act in a partisan manner and accord due respect to a fellow member of the house,' it said.

Lok Sabha

The Lok Sabha on Thursday witnessed noisy scenes as members from Andhra Pradesh continued with their protest for the third straight day, prompting Speaker Sumitra Mahajan to briefly adjourn the proceedings.

Soon after Mahajan read out obituary references, members from National Democratic Alliance ally Telugu Desam Party as well as from Yuvajana Shramika Rythu Congress trooped into the Well with placards and began shouting slogans demanding financial and other assistance for Andhra Pradesh.

Vociferous TDP members stood close to the reporters' table in front of the Secretary General and one of the members was seen talking to the staff.

TDP member N Sivaprasad, who has been using unusual ways to protest, took a set of books kept on the table and began moving towards the aisle. Immediately, a peeved Mahajan adjourned the proceedings for around 15 minutes till 11.45 am.

There were around 15 members from both TDP and YSR Congress protesting in the Well while senior TDP leader and Civil Aviation Minister Ashok Gajapathi Raju looked on.

A few minutes prior to the adjournment, Mahajan asked the protesting members to keep distance from the table, saying they should think about the Lok Sabha staff.

"They (staff) are working for you," she told the members, adding that it would not be proper if something happens to them.

For some time, Sivaprasad also played a rattle while standing in the Well.

This is the third day of protest by the TDP and the YSR Congress members demanding funds and other facilities for Andhra Pradesh.

The ties between the TDP and ruling BJP have been strained, with the former alleging that the promises made at the time of bifurcation of the state were not fulfilled by the NDA government.