NEW DELHI: Amid protests and sloganeering by opposition Congress and Trinamool Congress MPs, Rajya Sabha carried on with its listed business during the morning session and as many as 21 issues of public importance were raised.
MPs from different parties highlighted issues like the spread of coronavirus, onion exports, Nirbhaya rape case, and locust attack on crops in some states amid noisy scenes during the Zero Hour.
The trouble started at the outset when Minister of State for Finance Anurag Thakur rose to lay the paper listed against his name.
The moment his name was called, some opposition members started shouting slogans against him. The Election Commission recently barred Thakur from campaigning for the Delhi assembly elections in the wake of a controversial remark made by him at a poll rally.
Soon after Chairman M Venkaiah Naidu dismissed notices from several opposition members to suspend the routine business of the day and take up issue of CAA, NPR and NRC, TMC MP Derek O’Brien insisted that his notice should be taken up.
Naidu said the issue of CAA has been mentioned in the speech of the President, and the matter could be discussed while debating the Motion of Thanks on the President’s Address.
However, some TMC MPs trooped into the Well of the House and started slogans like ‘Goli Marna Band Kero’, ‘Modi Tere Tanashai Nahi Chalegi’, ‘Loktantra Ke Hatya Nahi Chalege’, and several other slogans against NRC, CAA, and NPR.
The Chairman asked protesting members to return to seats. He even warned that he would take action against protesting members or adjourn the House for the day.
“This is killing democracy, not allowing the House to function,” Naidu said as some opposition members were raising slogans like ‘save democracy’.
Naidu asked opposition members to support, oppose or make suggestions while speaking on the Motion of Thanks, and let the House function.
Soon, several Congress MPs too joined the TMC members in sloganeering, and also joined them in the Well.
However, the Chairman continued with Zero Hour proceedings.
While opposition members stopped shouting slogans when MPs from Congress, AAP and DMK were raising their points, they again shouted slogans when MPs from ruling party or its ally stood up to speak.
Some ruling party members as well as YSRCP MP V Vijyasai Reddy too objected to the selective protests by TMC and Congress.
Just before the start of the Question Hour at noon, TMC members stagged a walkout form the House. (AGENCIES)
Follow our WhatsApp channel
