New Delhi: Opposition protests and their heated exchanges with BJP members led to the adjournment of Rajya Sabha today without transacting much business after External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj defended herself over allegations of impropriety as Congress members asked how could she give a statement without the Chair’s permission.
No legislative business could be conducted through the day, as the House witnessed two adjournments before being adjourned for the day due to vociferous opposition protests seeking resignation of Swaraj and Rajasthan Chief Minister Vasundhara Raje for allegedly helping controversial former IPL chief Lalit Modi and Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan over the Vyapam scam.
While the House saw a full-throated debate on procedures after it met at 2 PM, it was adjourned for the day as strong disagreement prevailed on the issue between the ruling and opposition sides. Soon after the House assembled, Swaraj managed to speak a few sentences during Zero Hour saying she had not made any request to the British government for issue of travel documents to Lalit Modi and asserted that all allegations against her were “baseless and unfounded”, amid thumping of desks by her party colleagues.
She could not complete her remarks as slogan-shouting by Congress members led Deputy Chairman P J Kurien to adjourn theHouse for the first time till noon. Congress members had moved into the Well the moment she rose to speak. Kurien also said the Prime Minister cannot respond unless a discussion, as demanded, gets started. Seizing on Kurien’s statement, Leader of the House Arun Jaitley said Swaraj would make a statement to initiate the debate in the absence of unwillingness of Congress to initiate it.
However, the continued ruckus led to the adjournment of the House. When it met for the Question Hour at noon, Congress members were again on their feet demanding resignations of Swaraj and two other chief ministers. Some of them also demanded the resignation of HRD Minister Smriti Irani, who was present in the House at that time, on the row over her educational qualifications.
