Parliament impasse enters Day 8, both Houses adjourned

The stalemate in Parliament over Foreign Direct Investment in retail and other issues led to adjournment of the Question Hour in the Lok Sabha and the Rajya Sabha for the eighth consecutive day on Thursday.

Trouble started soon after Speaker Meira Kumar made obituary reference in the Lok Sabha to former member Harish Kumar Gangawar (Congress) and read out a message on World AIDS Day.

All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam members from Tamil Nadu rushed to the Well seeking implementation of the Supreme Court directive on raising the storage level of the Mullaperiyar dam to 142 feet.

Members from Kerala entered the Well from another side demanding that the water level in the dam be maintained at 120 feet keeping in mind safety of the 116-year-old structure.

Trinamool Congress members were seen in the aisles protesting the decision on allowing 51 per cent FDI in multi-brand retail and 100 per cent FDI in single-brand retail. The Bharatiya Janata Party members were on their feet demanding an adjournment motion on the FDI issue. Left members were also seen raising the FDI issue.

Congress members from Telangana and some Telugu Desam Party members raised slogans for a separate Telangana. Despite the din, the Speaker took up the Question Hour but nothing could be heard. As the unruly scenes continued, Kumar adjourned the proceedings till noon.

The Rajya Sabha plunged into turmoil soon after Chairman Hamid Ansari called House to order. The entire Opposition was up on its feet shouting slogans against the decision to allow FDI in multi-brand retailing.

Satish Chandra Mishra (Bahujan Samaj Party) said they have given notice

for suspension of Question Hour to take up discussion on the government's FDI policy in retailing. "FDI vapas lo, vapas lo," the members shouted as Ansari took up the first listed question of the day.

Minister of State for Personnel V Narayanasamy and Minister of State for Parliamentary Affairs Rajeev Shukla rose to say something but they could not be heard in the din.

Members from Kerala raised the issue of safety of Mullaperiyar dam in the state. Soon BJP members moved into the well of the House.

"Please go to your places. Please allow Question Hour to proceed," Ansari pleaded to unrelenting members.

As if taking a cue, members of other opposition parties too started moving into the Well. At this point, Ansari adjourned the House till noon.