Proceedings in the Rajya Sabha and Lok Sabha were disrupted yet again on Monday as Parliament entered the last week of its Budget Session. As soon as the Rajya Sabha convened after a long weekend, Chairman Venkaiah Naidu adjourned it for the day following protests by the legislators of the All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam over the delay in forming the Cauvery Management Board.
Similarly in the Lok Sabha, All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam MPs, shouting “we want justice”, stormed into the Well of the House.
Congress MP Kantilal Bhuria and Rashtriya Janata Dal’s JPN Yadav demanded review of the Supreme Court order protecting a public servant from arrest under the Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities) Act. The Centre on Monday filed a review petition against the Supreme Court order, amid countrywide protests against the court’s decision.
The legislators of the Telugu Desam Party were seen standing at their seats with black ribbons pinned to their shirts, demanding special status category for Andhra Pradesh. The Supreme Court on Monday sought a reply from the Centre on a petition seeking the implementation of the Andhra Pradesh Reorganisation Act 2014.
Amid the din, Speaker Sumitra Mahajan adjourned the House till 12 pm during the Question Hour. However, protests continued when the House reconvened and the Speaker was forced to adjourn the House till Tuesday.
Four pending no-confidence motions – filed by the Congress, the Telugu Desam Party, the YSR Congress and the Communist Party of India – were not taken up in Parliament following continued protests in the Houses. Both Houses have faced repeated adjournments so far in the second half of the Budget Session.
Meanwhile in the Rajya Sabha, the Congress gave an adjournment motion notice under rule 267 over “Bank Scam”. Outside Parliament, AIADMK legislators continued to protest, while the Trinamool Congress MPs protested against the disinvestment of Air India. Here too, TDP legislators protested in front of the Mahatma Gandhi statue in Parliament premises, demanding special status for Andhra Pradesh.
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