The Gujarat fake encounters issue derailed proceedings in Parliament once again on Tuesday, with both houses witnessing two adjournments in the pre-lunch session following uproarious scenes between members of the treasury and opposition benches.
With chaos continuing to prevail when the Rajya Sabha re-assembled at 2 pm in the post lunch session, deputy speaker K Rehman Khan adjourned the House for the day.
Shortly after the Lok Sabha assembled for the day, members of the Congress, Left and Samajwadi Party were up on their feet - loudly demanding the resignation of Gujarat Chief Minister Narendra Modi. Speaker Somnath Chatterjee advised members to take up the matter after the conclusion of the Question Hour. But with the members remaining adamant, the Speaker adjourned the House until noon.
When the House re-assembled, they were the members of the BJP taking the initiative. They trooped into the well of the house demanding the resignation of RJD member Mohammed Shahabuddin who was sentenced to life imprisonment by a Siwan court in a kidnapping case. The house was once again adjourned for two hours.
The Rajya Sabha also witnessed pandemonium during zero hour, after Chairman Bhairon Singh Shekhawat allowed leader of the Opposition Jaswant Singh to speak. Agitated Congress members - joined in by the Samajwadi party members - sprung up to their feet demanding that the Gujarat issue be discussed first.
{{/usCountry}}The Rajya Sabha also witnessed pandemonium during zero hour, after Chairman Bhairon Singh Shekhawat allowed leader of the Opposition Jaswant Singh to speak. Agitated Congress members - joined in by the Samajwadi party members - sprung up to their feet demanding that the Gujarat issue be discussed first.
{{/usCountry}}Allegations and counter allegations continued to fly past between the opposition and treasury benches, with Rudra Narain Pani (BJP) heard saying that - considering the behaviour of the Congress members - the time had come for the party to sit in the Opposition.
Admonishing Congress members for not allowing the Leader of the Opposition to speak ever since the House resumed after the recess, Chairman Bhairon Singh Shekhawat said, "What message are you giving by not allowing the Leader of the Opposition to speak? “This is not done; this will set a wrong precedent," he said.
He told the Congress members that a discussion on Gujarat and Nandigram would be taken up today itself. However, noisy scenes persisted and the house was adjourned until 1300 hours and adjourned again until 1400 hours. The house was finally adjourned for the day shortly after it re-convened after lunch. Amidst the chaos that prevailed, Jaswant Singh did, however, manage to complete his speech.