NEW DELHI: The Rajya Sabha was on Thursday adjourned till 2 p.m. following noisy protests by Congress MPs over the "amend the Constitution" remarks by Union Minister Anant Kumar Hegde.
The Congress members demanded an apology from the Minister in the House and also forced an adjournment earlier.
As the House was reconvened at 12 p.pm. after a brief adjournment, Congress MP Rajeev Gowda raised a Point of Order but was declined by Chairman M. Venkaiah Naidu.
"No Point of Order in the Question Hour, you know that," Naidu told Gowda amid the din.
The Congress MPs then came near the Chairman's podium shouting slogans against Hegde, who they said had "violated" the Constitution and insulted Dalit icon and one of the principal architects of the Constitution, B.R. Ambedkar.
Minister of State for Parliamentary Affairs Vijay Goel tried to placate the agitating MPs but failed.
"The Lok Sabha, the House of which Anant Kumar Hegde is a member, is working. Why are you disrupting this House?" Goel said.
Amid the din, Naidu adjourned the House till 2 p.m.
Earlier, during the Zero Hour, Leader of Opposition Ghulam Nabi Azad raised the issue of Hegde's comments and asked how could a person who violated the Constitution continue in the Council of Ministers.
Vijay Goel said that Hegde has already explained inside the Lok Sabha, and outside too, that his comments were "distorted" and hence the matter should be rested there, but failed to convince the opposition.
The Chair then briefly adjourned the House till 12 noon.
Union Minister Anant Kumar Hegde apologises for 'constitution change' comments
BJP distances itself from Union Minister Anantkumar Hegde's Constitution comment
Rs one crore for Union Minister Ananth Kumar Hegde's tongue: Ex-panchayat member
Ananth Hegde: Controversy’s favourite child is at it again