Protesting Cong members force RS to adjourn

New Delhi, August 5

Rajya Sabha was adjourned for the day on Wednesday amid bedlam as Congress continued to protest what they called the Central Government's autocracy in suspending 25 of their colleagues of the Lok Sabha.

Earlier in the day, soon after the House mourned the death of passengers in derailment of two trains in Madhya Pradesh, Congress members trooped into the well of the House, raising slogans against the Government and Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

“Tanashahi nahi chalegi (autocratic rule will not be tolerated)”, “We want justice” and “Mauni Baba muh toh kholo” (silent Baba, open your mouth) they shouted, as Deputy Chairman P J Kurien ordered laying of the listed papers.

After papers were laid, Kurien said he has received four motions from Naresh Agarwal (SP), Ram Gopal Yadav (SP), T K Rangarajan (CPI-M) and K P Ramalingam (DMK) seeking suspension of business under rule 267.

“If House is in order, I am ready to allow the motions to be moved,” Kurien said but unrelenting Congress members continued to shout slogans.

He said “by shouting slogans, you will achieve nothing” and asked Congress members to start discussion on their issue immediately.

But the Congress members were unmoved and continued to raise slogans even more vociferously, forcing Kurien to adjourn the House till 1200 hours. — PTI