UPSC row: Parliamentary proceedings disrupted again

The ongoing row over the UPSC issue saw disruption of Parliamentary proceedings on Tuesday as opposition parties demanded a statement from Prime Minister Narendra Modi and a joint parliamentary committee to look into the matter besides a discussion on it.

The entire opposition demanded in the Rajya Sabha that the matter be debated and a solution found to the issue involving career of lakhs of students.

They also demanded that the decision taken by the government on the issue be kept in abeyance and the Civil Services Preliminary exams slated for August 24 be postponed.

The Question Hour in the Rajya Sabha became a casualty once again as opposition members created an uproar over the issue trooping into the well forcing adjournment of the House for half-an-hour.

The Lok Sabha also saw a brief adjournment of 15 minutes during Zero Hour when SP and RJD members entered the well creating noisy scenes over the issue and Speaker Sumitra Mahajan asked them to give notice for their demand for a discussion.

Nine opposition parties had given a notice for suspension of Question Hour in Rajya Sabha while demanding a discussion on the issue, but Chairman Hamid Ansari asked them to give proper notice and not raise "extraneous" matters during the Question Hour.

Members of various opposition parties including Congress, Samajwadi Party, Bahujan Samaj Party, Janata Dal-United, CPI, CPI-M, Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam, AIADMK and Trinamool Congress sought a discussion on the issue for early resolution of the matter and demanded scrapping of CSAT and postponement of UPSC exams.

They also sought an assurance from the government for holding an immediate discussion on the matter, but Deputy Chairman P J Kurien said the matter needs to be raised at the Business Advisory Committee meeting or morning meeting of various parties with the Chairman.

Image: Opposition members protesting at the Well of Rajya Sabha on Tuesday

Photograph: PTI