LS adjourns amid protests over PNB scam, other issues

Team Udayavani, Mar 5, 2018, 12:21 PM IST

New Delhi: The Lok Sabha today was adjourned till noon following vociferous protests by Opposition members over the Punjab National Bank fraud and other issues while those from NDA ally TDP continued to raise their demand for a special package to Andhra Pradesh.

Soon after Speaker Sumitra Mahajan made obituary references, members from the Congress, TRS and other parties as well as from the TDP trooped into the Well raising various issues. This was the first day the House met after the recess of the Budget session.

Before the start of proceedings, BJP members were seen clapping when Prime Minister Narendra Modi walked into the House. With folded hands, Modi greeted the members as well as those in the Opposition benches.

As the BJP and its allies captured power in the three North Eastern states, many of the saffron party MPs were seen wearing Assamese ‘gamosa’. Holding placards, Congress members trooped into the Well raising the issue of Punjab National Bank scam. Trinamool Congress members too were seeking to raise the same matter.

The Congress demanded a reply from the Prime Minister on the whereabouts of Nirav Modi, one of the alleged kingpins of the Rs 12,700 crore fraud at Punjab National Bank. TDP members stood in the Well demanding special package for Andhra Pradesh while those from the TRS sought increase in reservation quota in Telangana.

As the protests continued, Mahajan adjourned the proceedings till noon. Obituary references were made for four former members — Rudolph Rodrigues, Kamla Prasad Singh, Khagen Das and Kumari Farida Topno.