As the Budget Session of Parliament resumed after a month-long recess on Monday, the Opposition raised the Rs 12,700-crore Punjab National Bank(PNB) scam in both the Houses leading to their adjournments for the day. While the Opposition pressed for a detailed discussion on the PNB scam in the Lok Sabha on Tuesday maintaining that all other issues could be discussed later on, the Government said it was open to discuss all issues but remained non-committal on the day to do so.

Major opposition parties including Congress, Trinamool Congress(TMC) and Bjiu Janta Dal(BJD)raised the demand for debate at 12 noon for hours in the meeting of the Lok Sabha’s business advisory committee chaired by Speaker Sumitra Mahajan. An opposition party member, who was present at the meeting, said Parliamentary Affairs Minister Ananth Kumar made it clear that the Government was open to discussing all issues, but there was no word on whether the debate on banking scam would take place on Tuesday after the Question Hour.

Other issues which led to vociferous protest in both the houses included TDP members raising the matter of special category status to Andhra Pradesh and AIADMK and DMK members demanding early constitution of Cauvery Management Board as directed by the Supreme Court. Members of both the Tamil Nadu parties rushed into the well of the Rajya Sabha raising slogans. Members of Trinamool Congress(TMC) raised slogans in the well of the Upper House pertaining to the PNB scam.

Noisy protests disrupted the Question Hour of the Lok Sabha which led to Speaker Sumitra Mahajan adjourning the House till 12 noon. As the House reassembled, Congress members trooped into the well with placards demanding a reply from the Prime Minister on PNB scam main accused Nirav Modi’s whereabouts. Sensing the mood of the agitated members, the Speaker then adjourned the house for the day.

Before the beginning of the proceedings, BJP members were seen clapping when Prime Minister Narendra Modi walked into the House. With folded hands, Modi greeted the members as well as those in the Opposition benches.

Similar noisy protest scenes were witnessed in the Rajya Sabha which saw two adjournments in the pre lunch session before the Chair finally adjourned the proceedings for the day shortly after two pm.

In an effort to run the house, Deputy Chairman P J Kurien said in the post lunch session he has given permission to conduct a debate on frauds in public sector banks as demanded by the Opposition.

However, members shouted slogans and displayed placards demanding constitution of Cauvery Management Board and implementation of special category status Andhra Pradesh Reorganisation Act.Kurien asked Leader of Opposition Ghulam Nabi Azad whether the Opposition will allow a discussion, to which the Congress leader said if other parties are ready, they have no objection. He also said the government and the prime minister had “failed” and banks are without money while likes of Nirav Modi were absconding. Kurien then adjourned the House for the day.

In the pre-lunch session, Chairman M Venkaiah Naidu said he had received notices from several members under Rule 267 requiring listed agenda to be set aside to take up discussion. Naidu said the issue of fraud at Punjab National Bank (PNB) was very important and the House needs to discuss. “This is agitating the minds of the people,” he said.

While rejecting demand for Rule 267, Naidu, however, said he was willing to allow a short duration discussion after discussing the issue with the government. Naidu also said he received a notice under Rule 267 from Vinay Sahasrabuddhe (BJP) over alleged corruption by relatives of a former Minister. Disallowing the BJP member’s notice, the Chair said the issue was important and asked the member to give notice under appropriate rules,” he said.