Stormy scenes over NRC, RS chairman says disrupting proceedings 'unacceptable'

NEW DELHI: Rajya Sabha witnessed stormy scenes for the third day, with an outraged opposition training its guns at BJP chief Amit Shah not allowing him to conclude his speech on the National Register for Citizens and finally the Upper House getting adjourned for the day. Rajya Sabha chairman Venkaiah Naidu reprimanded the opposition by citing their conduct saying that seeing members “menacingly” storm the Well on Monday and then disrupting proceedings today was “unacceptable”.

On Tuesday, in Rajya Sabha, Shah had steered his attack on those opposing the NRC process saying, “NRC is the soul of the Assam Accord which the then PM Rajiv Gandhi had signed ... Congress started the NRC process in 2005 but lacked the courage to throw out illegal Bangladeshi immigrants because votebank was important for you, not national security and rights of citizens.”

The Rajya Sabha was adjourned till noon, barely 20 minutes after it started at 11am. The opposition created a ruckus over Amit Shah's Tuesday's statement. Congress MP Anand Sharma led the attack seeking an apology from Shah alleging his remarks were an insult to all PM's after Rajiv Gandhi. "He (Shah’s) said during his speech that after Rajiv Gandhi, who signed the Assam Accord, all PMs who came were buzdil (cowards). This includes their (BJP’s) own PM Vajpayee too. So, we demand an apology," alleged Congress MP Anand Sharma. This evoked a sharp reaction from the ruling party members who rose to deny this interpretation. The opposition members kept up their protest as Shah tried to speak to conclude his speech on the directions of the RS chairman.

With House proceedings getting disrupted for the third day, Naidu rose to reprimand the opposition for its conduct in the house. "This is unacceptable. The way menacingly members stormed into the Well yesterday is unacceptable. Everyone is watching you. This is the Upper House. You cannot conduct this way. I have adjourned the House keeping in view its dignity. If you don't want to conduct serious business and continue with the protests, then I will have to adjourn the House," he said.

Later, when the House reassembled at noon, question hours went off smoothly. Naidu refused the opposition’s demand for allowing the time to be used for a discussion on NRC. He said he would not allow any discussion till there was a consensus between the ruling party members and the opposition to let the debate happen.

Naidu said when House would resume at 2pm home minister Rajnath Singh's reply on NRC will happen after Amit Shah concludes his speech. Opposition errupted momentarily but settled to allow question hour without interruption.

When the House resumed after lunch, chaos erupted as TMC members stormed the Well when Amit Shah tried to conclude his speech. Finally, the House was adjourned for the day.