Budget Session: PNB scam, Cauvery issue rock Rajya Sabha

"Are we in Parliament or somewhere else," an upset Rajya Sabha chairman Venkaiah Naidu asked on Monday as Opposition MPs forced a washout of the Upper House's morning session over a series of issues, including the PNB scam involving Nirav Modi scam and Cauvery issue.

MPs from the Trinamool Congress (TMC), AIADMK, DMK, TDP Congress and the AAP were in the Well soon after the Rajya Sabha was convened on the first day of Budget Session's second leg, forcing two adjournments in the morning.

While the TMC was protesting against the Rs 12,717 Punjab National Bank scam, AIADMK MPs and DMK's Kanimozhi were in the Well protesting against the delay in constituting Cauvery Tribunal Board.

TDP MPs, an ally of the ruling NDA, and Congress MP K V P Ramachandra Rao were protesting against the government not giving special category status for Andhra Pradesh.

The first adjournment came nine minutes into the session soon after an oath-taking ceremony of a Sikkim MP, obituary references and laying of official papers.

When the House reconvened at 11.20 am, the scene was no different, forcing Naidu to quip, "Are we in Parliament or somewhere else?...we are in Parliament. Don't create hungama (pandemonium). This is not the way."

He said he has received notices from Leader of Opposition Ghulam Nabi Azad, Congress deputy leader Anand Sharma, Congress MP Pramod Tiwari, Samajwadi Party's Naresh Agarwal, Trinamool's Sukhendu Shekhar Roy and CPI's D Raja to suspend the business of the House to discuss the PNB scam.

Naidu has also received notices on the Cauvery Board issue from the AIADMK, the Andhra issue from the TDP as well as a notice from BJP's Vinay Sahasrabuddhe on the corrupt practices of relatives of a former mnister.

The chairman said he could not accept any of these and asked them to submit requests citing other rules.

On the PNB scam, he said, "It is a very important issue. House needs to discuss this. It is agitating the minds of the people. I will consider the notice after discussing with the Leader of House, if you give the notice under some other rule."

His reasoning for other issues were also the same. However, Opposition MPs were not satisfied ad he adjourned the House till 2 pm.