'Nobody is going to give apology': Angry Naidu shouts over Congress ruckus in Rajya Sabha

NEW DELHI: Persistent disruption by Congress members over the insinuations made by Prime Minister Narendra Modi against predecessor Manmohan Singh triggered an angry outburst from Rajya Sabha Chairman Venkaiah Naidu on Wednesday.
"This is not the way. Nobody is going to give apology. Nothing happened in the House. The statement was not made here," Naidu was quoted as saying by news agency ANI.

The Upper House was adjourned twice - first during the Zero Hour as opposition members disrupted proceedings by trooping into the Well and raising slogans and then again in the Question Hour when similar scenes continued.

Earlier, Congress MPs had rushed into the Well of the House demanding an apology from PM Modi for his remarks made at an election rally that Singh had allegedly colluded with Pakistan to defeat the BJP in Gujarat.

After repeatedly reminding members to maintain the decorum of the House and return to their seats, Naidu had a flare-up, declaring that no apologies will be tendered as the incident in question did not happen on Parliament premises.

Eventually, he was forced to adjourn proceedings till noon. When the House convened and the listed papers had been tabled, Opposition once again raised an uproar, demanding that the Prime Minister come to the House and offer an explanation for his remarks against Singh.

Naidu asked them not to create obstruction and allow other members to raise important issues.

"This is Parliament. This is Rajya Sabha. There is no practice of suspension of Question Hour. Don't make a mockery of the House. Wrong message is going," he said, visibly agitated.

When his pleas went unheeded, the vice president adjourned the Rajya Sabha till 2 pm.

Chaotic scenes were also witnessed in the Lok Sabha, where Congress members raised slogans of "Dr Sahab se maafi maango (Apologize to Dr Singh)", all while PM Modi was present in the House.

Speaker Sumitra Mahajan adjourned the House, first till 12 pm and then again till 2 pm, as Congress leaders continued to create a ruckus.