Rajya Sabha chair, opposition spar over adjournments

NEW DELHI: Almost the entire Opposition boycotted the proceedings of the Rajya Sabha on Tuesday in protest against Chairman M Venkaiah Naidu’s decision to adjourn the House soon after it met as the ‘House was not in order’. Naidu had adjourned the RS similarly on Monday too after TDP members trooped into the Well of the House demanding special grants for Andhra Pradesh in the budget.

Since Naidu adjourned the House till 2 pm, the Zero Hour, when matters of urgent importance are raised, and the Question Hour were cancelled. Several MPs had given notices under Rule 267 for suspension of business and discussion on issues including Rafale deal, Bengal governor’s ‘interference’ in administrative matters and grants to AP. When the House met at 2 pm, Leader of the Opposition Ghulam Nabi Azad announced that the Opposition was boycotting the House. BJD, BSP, TRS, YSRC and AIADMK did not join the walkout.

Opposition parties later wrote to Naidu, alleging that he “adjourns the House within a minute”, and it was “undemocratic”. Trinamool’s Derek O’Brien alleged the government was “murdering democracy” by not letting the Opposition speak. Naidu told the House, in Oppositions absence, that he saw a pattern in disruptions.


Prime Minister Narendra Modi is scheduled to reply to the Motion of Thanks to the President’s address in the Upper House on Wednesday.