India: Lok Sabha adjourned for fourth consecutive day

Opposition today disrupted the proceedings of the Lok Sabha for the fourth consecutive day today demanding discussion on demonetisation on a rule which entails voting forcing Speaker Sumitra Mahajan to adjourn the House for about 50 minutes soon after it assembled.

As soon as the House met, members of the Congress, the Trinamool Congress, Left parties and the Aam Aadmi Party rushed to the Well of the House demanding a discussion on the demonetisation of Rs 1,000 and Rs 500 notes.

Samjawadi Party, the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) and the Rashriya Janata Dal (RJD) stood in the aisles in solidarity with the other opposition members.

While AIADMK members were also on the aisles raising the issue of Tamil fishermen injured allegedly in firing by Sri Lankan Navy, Congress vice president Rahul Gandhi was seen busy in his seat in an intimate discussion with AAP MP from Punjab Harinder Singh Khalsa.

Ignoring the slogan-shouting Opposition members, Speaker allowed the Question Hour to continue amidst noise.

When some Opposition members tried to bring a placard, denouncing the demonetisation move, in front of Minister of State for Home Kiren Rijiju, who was replying to a question related to his Ministry, the Speaker tried to intervene and asked the MPs not to disturb the Minister.

"This is not good. Everyone will be shown on TV, but don't disturb the Minister. If you want to discuss something, raise it before the government. People are in pain, tell the government. But this is not the way to highlight people's grievances," Mahajan said asking them to return to their seats.

However, an unrelenting opposition continued to raise slogans.

The Speaker again appealed to the opposition to participate in the debate saying that the disruption of proceedings would not resolve the problem.

"I am really pained. If you are people's representatives, you should stand by them," she said.

As pandemonium continued, the Speaker adjourned the House till noon after 20 minutes of proceedings.

(PTI)