Opposition protest in Rajya Sabha as ministers' seats were vacant

Opposition today sought to corner the government after noticing that seats meant for ministers in the Rajya Sabha were vacant, creating a flutter for some moments.

Amid din over Assam Gana Parishad member Kumar Deepak Das' insistence on raising an issue concerning Assam, V Maitreyan (AIADMK) drew the attention of the Chair to vacant front rows of the treasury benches and shouted "no minister".

As soon as Maitreyan raised the issue, he was spontaneously supported by members of other opposition parties including BJP.

Deputy Chairman K Rahman Khan then looked around and asked "where is Cabinet Minster?"

At this Sriprakash Jaiswal, who was seated in the back rows rushed to in the front bench sending members into peals of laughter.

"Yes, Jaiswal is there. If you are not aware he is Cabinet Minister what can I say," Khan said in a lighter vein.

When Jaiswal took his seat on the front row, a Congress member Satyavrat Chaturvedi started chatting with him.

To this, Khan said the minister should be attentive. "I request the honourable member not to disturb the minister when the House is running," he said, to which the minister immediately obliged.

All this happened amid din as members from BJP, BSP and Left kept asking the Chair to allow Das to raise his issue relating to "national integration".