The Pegasus snooping controversy rocked the Rajya Sabha on Tuesday with the Opposition raising a din over it and forcing two adjournments in the morning session.
Members of Opposition parties, who had given as many as 15 notices under rule 267 requiring setting aside of the business of the day to take up the issue they want to raise, raised slogans on the Pegasus issue besides others including fuel price rise and farmers agitation. The protesting members also rushed into the well of the house.
Chairman M M Venkaiah Naidu urged the members to let the house run but of no avail. Sensing the mood of the house, he adjourned the proceedings till 12.00 pm shortly after the house met for the day at 11.00 am
The Opposition made its intentions clear at the outset and disrupted proceeding as soon as the House condoled the death of a former member, Ramadhar Kashyap. Members of Congress, TMC, Left and DMK were up on their feet raising various issues.
With the chairman disallowing all the 15 notices as he did for the 17 served on Monday, Anand Sharma(Congress)said either
the rule 267 should be removed or the Chairman should consider notices given under them as long as it is there in the rule book.
“These are issues of concern. We should not only read about it in newspapers or see on television,” he said.
Naidu said he agrees with Sharma. “There is a need for (rule) 267.
I have been there in the House and I understand the problem of national security, something serious happens, you have to suspend the business and then take up that matter,” he said.
When the house reassembled at 12.00 pm, members again protested and did not pay heed to the Deputy Chairman request to allow the Question Hour to function. He then adjourned the
proceedings till one pm.
Rajya Sabha proceedings were adjourned for the third time amid uproar by YSR Congress members demanding special status for Andhra Pradesh.
Harivansh asked protesting members several times to go back to their seats and allow the debate on the COVID-19 pandemic. Leader of the House Piyush Goyal also appealed to the protesting Members.
Meanwhile, the Deputy Chairman asked Leader of Opposition Party
Mallikarjun Kharge to initiate the debate. He, however, said since the house was not in he was not able to speak.
The chair then asked Swapan Das Gupta (nominated) to speak and the member gave his views amidst the din. The chair then adjourned the house for 15 minutes.