Opposition attempts to stall proceedings in the Lok Sabha on the Baalu issue proved to be futile on Monday as a determined Speaker Somnath Chatterjee refused to adjourn the House.
In an unusual step, the Speaker ordered most of the lights in the House and television cameras to be shut off for a brief period as repeated attempts by him to let the House function did not find favour with the members.
The House witnessed unruly scenes with Opposition members trooping to the well chanting slogans 'dismiss Baalu' and 'save PMO from malpractices'. Treasury benches too resorted to sloganeering citing "misuse" of PMO during the Atal Bihari Vajpayee tenure.
"I am not going to adjourn the House," a determined Chatterjee said adding, "out of shame" he had ordered turning off the lights as also the television cameras.
He also expressed "total annoyance" at the behaviour of the members and condemned it. "Please agree to no work, no pay principle," the Speaker said.
He said the opposition members should have given notice in accordance with the rules and procedures. "You do not want to give notice but want to stall proceedings," he said and told the members that they were "misusing" their position.
The opposition members finally relented to an appeal from Chatterjee and went back to their seats allowing the proceedings to continue.
He said the opposition members should have given notice in accordance with the rules and procedures. "You do not want to give notice but want to stall proceedings," he said and told the members that they were "misusing" their position.
The opposition members finally relented to an appeal from Chatterjee and went back to their seats allowing the proceedings to continue.
The opposition NDA has been demanding that the government come clean on the issue of Shipping Minister TR Baalu allegedly using his influence to get natural gas for companies owned by his family.