For the second consecutive day, Parliament witnessed uproar on Monday by the Congress protesting against Prime Minister Narendra Modi's remarks against his predecessor Manmohan Singh for attending a dinner here recently where Pakistan diplomats and dignitaries were present. Both the Houses were adjourned for the day shortly after noon due to the ensuing din.
While the Rajya Sabha could not transact any legislative business, the Government managed to introduce five Bills amidst protest in the Lok Sabha. Finance Minister Arun Jaitley also tabled the 'Supplementary Demand for Grants — Second Batch for 2017-18,' in the lower House.
The five Bills introduced are 'The National Council for Teacher Education (Amendment) Bill', 'The Payment of Gratuity (Amendment) Bill', The Dentists (Amendment) Bill', 'The Indian Forest (Amendment) Bill' and 'The Representation of the People (Amendment) Bill.'
The main Opposition party made its intentions clear to disrupt proceedings in the Rajya Sabha soon after various ministers laid papers when the house met for the day. Congress leader Anand Sharma brought up the issue of Modi's remarks and sought suspension of business for the day to discuss the issue. Deputy Chairman PJ Kurien said the Congress notice for suspension was rejected by Chairman M Venkaiah Naidu.
As Congress members protested, leader of opposition Ghulam Nabi Azad said the voice of the Opposition was getting "muzzled" adding their notice was getting turned down every day. He also demanded that the Prime Minister should come to the House to substantiate his allegations against his predecessor. Sharma said institutional respect is inherent part of democracy adding Manmohan Singh is also a sitting MP and Modi should clarify his charges against him.
During an election rally in Gujarat recently, the Prime Minister had alleged that several Congress members including Singh were present in the dinner meeting attended by the Pakistanis and an alleged conspiracy was conceived against the BJP in the poll bound State.
Not willing to oblige the chair to let the house run, Congress members came into the well raising slogans forcing Kurien to adjourn the house for 45 minutes at 11.15 am. Similar scenes were seen when the House met again with Sharma raising the issue again. Naidu persisted on continuing with the Question Hour suggesting that a separate notice be moved for suspending business which he would consider.
As several Congress members began shouting slogans, the Chairman asked them to abstain from such acts as the entire nation was watching the proceedings. Unable to pacify the agitated members, Naidu then adjourned the House for the day at about 12.05 pm.
In the Lok Sabha too, the Congress raised the issue during the Zero Hour and trooped into the well along with the Left members who also sought to raise certain issues. Congress members raised slogans against the Prime Minister and demanded an apology for his remarks against Singh. As the protests continued, Speaker Sumitra Mahajan adjourned the proceedings for the day.
Earlier, soon after the House assembled for the day, the proceedings were adjourned till noon following noisy scenes amid sloganeering from both sides of the House. While BJP members raised slogans hailing the Prime Minister and the party, the opposition raked up the remarks made by him against Singh. Some other Opposition members raised the issue of floods in Odisha.
As soon as the House met, Mahajan referred to the death of people in a boat accident in Andhra Pradesh, the devastation caused by the Ockhi cyclone, earthquakes in Mexico and Iran-Iraq border and terror attacks in various parts of the world, including the US, the UK, Afghanistan and Egypt.
The Speaker also congratulated Indian men's and women's hockey teams, boxer Mary Kom and weightlifter Mirabai Chanu for their "outstanding achievements" as well as wished them success.