Lok Sabha proceedings disrupted for 21st straight day

Team Udayavani, Apr 5, 2018, 2:13 PM IST

New Delhi: Congress and BJP members today traded charges over the near washout of the Budget session as the proceedings of the Lok Sabha were disrupted for the 21st consecutive day. Noisy protests by AIADMK members seeking early constitution of the Cauvery water management board saw the House being adjourned for the day.

Congress leader Sonia Gandhi was also seen agitated over certain names being taken by Parliamentary Affairs minister Ananth Kumar holding them and her party responsible for the disruptions in the House. Soon after the House met to take up the day’s business, AIADMK members trooped into the Well and raised slogans seeking immediate constitution of the board.

As pandemonium prevailed, Speaker Sumitra Mahajan adjourned the House till noon. At noon, even before the House was re-assembled, AIADMK members carrying placards trooped into the Well of the House shouting slogans such as ‘we want justice’ and ‘we demand Cauvery board’.

After the listed papers were laid, Congress, NCP, Left, TDP and RJD members were standing at their seats seeking the Speaker’s ruling on notices they had given on the no- confidence motion, moved by some of them.

Congress leader Mallikarjun Kharge said the Congress and the entire opposition were ready for a discussion on the no- confidence motion moved by some of them besides looking for debates on alleged dilution of SC/ST Act, PNB scam involving diamantaire Nirav Modi.

“We are ready for discussion. Kindly allow us to move the no-confidence motion to discuss various issues,” he said. Countering Kharge, Parliamentary Affairs Minister Ananth Kumar said the BJP and NDA were ready for a discussion on the no-confidence motion and sought immediate debate on it.

He alleged that the Congress was against the debate and trying to prevent the discussions on the no-confidence motion, which is against democracy. Kumar said as the House was not functioning, BJP members have decided not to take any remuneration that they are entitled to as MPs for the entire second part of the budget session.

After his remarks, angry Congress members strongly protested saying it was the government which was running away from the discussion on no-confidence motion. An agitated Sonia Gandhi and other Congress members strongly objected when the parliamentary affairs minister took names of a few party leaders alleging they were trying to stall the debate.

At this Speaker Sumitra Mahajan intervened and ruled that no names should come on record of proceedings. With AIADMK members continuing sloganeering, the Speaker appealed to them to return to their seats, saying she cannot take up notices on the no-confidence motion unless the House is in order.

“I am duty bound to place the no-confidence motion.Please go to your seats. I have to do a head count. I have not been able to take up notices on the no-confidence motion,” she said. As the unrelenting AIADMK members continued sloganeering, the Speaker said she was not in a position to take up notices for no-confidence motion and announced adjournment of the House for the day.

Citing assembly polls in Karnataka, the Centre had last week sought more time from the Supreme Court to set up the Cauvery water management board to implement water sharing formula among Karnataka, Tamil Nadu, Kerala and Puducherry.