Parliament washed out for sixth straight day due to protests

NDA ally, the TDP continued to disrupt the both Houses of the Parliament over demand for special status to Andhra Pradesh.

Lok Sabha

The Lok Sabha was adjourned for the day on Monday amid continuing protests by regional parties over various issues.

It was the sixth straight day of washout of proceedings in the lower house since the second leg of the budget session began on March 5.

Speaker Sumitra Mahajan first adjourned the House immediately after the Question Hour started as Telangana Rashtra Samithi, Telugu Desam Party, All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam and YSR Congress members stormed the well carrying placards and raised slogans in support of their demands.

There was no let up in protests as the House met again at noon but the speaker went ahead with the proceedings, including introduction of two bills by Minister of State for Finance Shiv Pratap Shukla, amid the din.

Bhartruhari Mahtab of the Biju Janata Dal opposed the introduction of The Fugitive Economic Offenders Bill, saying its provisions violated the citizens' fundamental rights and that it is based on the premise of "guilty till proven innocent" and not the other way round.

He questioned the provision of seizing assets of an accused before he was proven guilty.

However, Shukla said these provisions can be debated during the discussion on the bill and introduced the bill. Soon after this, the House was adjourned.

The Lok Sabha has been witnessing similar scenes since March 5 with opposition parties besides the TDP, which remains a member of the ruling National Democratic Alliance though it has pulled out of the central government, raising a host of issues such as special status for Andhra Pradesh, enhanced reservation in Telangana and constitution of the Cauvery river board to settle Tamil Nadu's water dispute with neighbours.

Rajya Sabha 

The Rajya Sabha was too adjourned for the day amid continuing protests by opposition parties and NDA ally TDP on various issues including demand for special status to Andhra Pradesh, the Cauvery row, sealing in Delhi and bank fraud.

As soon as the Upper House reconvened at 2 pm after an adjournment earlier in the day, Trinamool Congress member Sukhendu Sekhar Roy stood up seeking the chair's permission to raise a point of order.

However, Deputy Chairman of the Rajya Sabha P J Kurien, who was in the chair, said the House needs to be in order first.

Unrelenting members from TDP stormed the well carrying placards demanding special status for Andhra Pradesh while the AIADMK demanded setting up of Cauvery water management board.

Joining them, Aam Aadmi Party members shouted slogans seeking an end to the sealing drive in Delhi whereas the Congress and the TMC raised the bank fraud issue.

Amid the noisy protests, Minister of State for Drinking Water and Sanitation S S Ahluwalia laid on the table of the House the statement regarding the status of implementation of recommendations contained in the 35th report of the Department-related Parliamentary Standing Committee on Rural Development on Demands for Grants (2017-18).

However, as the pandemonium continued, Kurien adjourned the proceedings of the House for the day after barely a couple of minutes.

Earlier in the day, after the papers were laid in the House, members of the TDP, the YSRC, the TMC, the AIADMK and the AAP were up on their feet seeking to raise a point of order.

Chairman Venkaiah Naidu tried to pacify the members and conduct the Zero Hour but the protesting members trooped into the well holding placards and shouting slogans. The only Congress member protesting in the well was K V P Ramachandra Rao from Andhra Pradesh.

"When there is no order, how can there be a point of order? This is too much," Naidu said asking members to go back to their seats.

"I don't find any reason to come to the well of House," the chairman said adding that he is allowing discussion on all subjects.

With members continuing their protest, the chair was forced to adjourn the House till 2 pm.

The Upper House did not function the entire last week due to uproar by the opposition as well as NDA ally TDP, barring one hour on March 8 when members participated in a discussion to mark the International Women's Day.