NEW DELHI:For the fourth consecutive day, both the Houses of Parliament faced adjournment amid continuous Opposition uproar.
The entire week was washed out as both the Houses were adjourned till Monday as the Opposition and the Treasury Benches refused to budge from their respective stand.
From day one of the ongoing Monsoon session, a united Opposition led by the Congress has been sticking to their demand for resignation of External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj and Rajasthan Chief Minister Vasundhara Raje Scindia in Lalit Modi controversy.
But the BJP has categorically denied it and firmly backed their leaders on the issue. First, the Lok Sabha was adjourned for the day till Monday, minutes after it started its session on Friday morning. No business has been transacted since the session began on July 21, witnessing adjournments after adjournments amid the Opposition uproar.
Two Bills -- the Delhi High Court (Amendment) Bill and the Scheduled Castes and the Scheduled Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities) Amendment Bill, were also listed on Friday for consideration and passage.
As soon as the House met, Speaker Sumitra Mahajan announced that she had disallowed notices for adjournment motion moved by the Congress and the Left leaders on Lalit controversy, Vyapam scam and other issues. As soon as she took up the Question Hour, Congress members, wearing black bands on their arms, rushed to the Well shouting slogans and holding placards they have been displaying for the past three days accusing Prime Minister Narendra Modi of being “voiceless” while scams were being reported under his regime.
Similar scenes were seen in the Rajya Sabha, as heated exchanges between the Treasury Benches and the Congress on Friday forced repeated adjournments.
The BJP and the Congress members clashed after Leader of Opposition Ghulam Nabi Azad blamed the ruling party for being a stumbling block in the functioning of Parliament.
As the Treasury Benches led by Union Ministers Ravi Shankar Prasad and Piyush Goyal protested and blamed the Opposition for the stalemate, the Congress members too angrily reacted by moving into the aisles and shouting slogans.
Earlier, soon after papers were laid on the table, Pramod Tiwari (Congress) said he had given a notice under Rule 267 seeking suspension of business to discuss alleged corruption in Rajasthan and by Sushma for allegedly trying to help “fugitive” Lalit.
JD(U) president Sharad Yadav said it was “unprecedented” that the ruling party would sit on a dharna. All through, the ruling side continued to shout back at the Opposition leaders, prompting Deputy Chairman P J Kurien to remark “Why are Treasury Benches creating problem?” Following this, Azad said, “It is the ruling party which has become stumbling block (in functioning of the House).”
The BJP members protested against his remark. Amid the ruckus, Kurien adjourned the House.
Week Washed Out
With the ruling dispensation and the Congress sticking to their stand on Vyapam and Lalit Modi controversy, Parliament failed to transact legislative business since the beginning of the Monsoon session on Tuesday. A look at the developments on Friday and reactions of some leaders
■ Both Houses adjourned till Monday as differences persist
■ Relentless Oppn demands resignation of Sushma Swaraj, Vasundhara Raje, Shivraj Chouhan; govt trashes it
■ Cong troops into Well waving placards, sparks rebuke from LS Speaker
Gadkari Warns RaGa
Union minister threatens to file criminal defamation suit against Rahul Gandhi for calling Sushma Swaraj’s action in Lalit Modi issue a ‘criminal act’. Asks him to apologise for it
Time for italy return
BJP MP Sakshi Maharaj, known for his controversial statements, hits out at Sonia, Rahul, says time has come for them to go back to Italy
Radha Sparks Row
Agriculture Minister Radha Mohan Singh claims love affairs, barrenness and impotency tied to farmers’ suicides; triggers row in Parliament