After normal functioning of the Rajya Sabha last week that saw only a couple of disruptions both by the Opposition as well Treasury Benches, the Congress derailed the proceedings of the Rajya Sabha on Monday forcing early adjournment of the House as it pressed for taking up of a Private Member Bill on special package for Andhra Pradesh.
Even as the Government has been making efforts to list the crucial GST Bill this week after mending ways with the Congress, the grand old party has threatened of not allowing Government business till their Andhra Pradesh demand is met.
The House could not function post lunch as the Congress members created uproar and trooped into Well of the House to press their demand.
The Bill, which was to be moved by Congress member KVP Ramchandra Rao on last Friday during Private Member business, could not be taken up on that day as the House was adjourned due to ruckus by the Treasury Benches over AAP MP Bhagwant Mann’s controversial filming of Parliament.
Deputy leader of Congress Anand Sharma led his party’s charge saying “grave injustice” was done when the ruling party and its Cabinet Ministers disrupted the House on Friday as a result of which the Private Member Bill could not taken up. “What happened on Friday was by design. It was planned by the Government to disrupt the proceedings,” Sharma said.
He made it clear that the Opposition party does not want anything else discussed until the Andhra Bill is taken up. “That day (Friday), they were shouting vociferously. Today they have lost their voice. We cannot allow Government business to be taken up (unless the private member bill is taken up),” Sharma said.
Deputy Chairman PJ Kurien said the Bill can be taken up only on August 5 as, according to practice, Private Bills and resolutions are taken up on alternate Fridays. “It is my ruling that the Bill will not be taken up today for discussion,” he said.
Congress members repeatedly trooped into Well of the House, shouting “Andhra wants justice”, forcing Kurien to adjourn the House twice briefly before finally adjourning the House for the day minutes after 3 pm.
The Congress was supported by CPM leader Sitaram Yechury and Naresh Aggarwal of the Samajwadi Party who wanted the Andhra Bill to be taken up for discussion.
With no assurance coming from the Government on the Private Members Bill, the Congress members kept raising the issue from their seats even as Kurien moved to take up Zero Hour issues. He disallowed any further discussion on the matter. Finance Minister Arun Jaitley was present in the House then but did not respond to the demand.