Deadlock continues, RS fails to transact any business

Rajya Sabha failed to transact any business today as stalemate continued with the opposition persisting with its demand for resignation of External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj over lalit Modi issue and Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan over Vyapam Scam.

leader of Opposition Ghulam Nabi Azad moved a motion that proceedings of the House be adjourned and Prime Minister Narendra Modi should come to the House and tell what action he has taken to ensure Chouhan's resignation in the Vyapam scam.

Rejecting Azad's demand, the government ruled out any resignations and said the opposition members were disrupting the proceedings every day on the same issue even though the ruling side is ready for a discussion.

The deadlock led to repeated adjournments before the final one at around 2.35 PM.

The House could not function during Zero Hour at 11 am, during Question Hour at 12 pm and when it met at 2.30 pm for Private Members' Business, Azad suggested that if all sides agree, the Private Members' Resolutions could be taken up in the next session.

D Raja of CPI, who had moved one of the resolutions, supported Azad. leader of House Arun Jaitley too gave his consent and the list of business regarding Private Members' Resolutions was postponed to the next session.

Minister for Culture Mahesh Sharma then moved for leave to withdraw the National Commission for Heritage Sites Bill 2009. The motion was adopted.

Soon after, opposition re-started protests leading to ruckus.

Deputy Chairman P J Kurien, who was in the Chair, kept telling both sides that attempt should be made for consensus and the treasury benches and the opposition should find some solution for the stalement.