Uproar in both houses over demonetisation, LS adjourned

New Delhi: The row over demonetisation of Rs 500 and Rs 1,000 currency notes after the Rajya Sabha cast its shadow on Lok Sabha proceedings with the Opposition trooping into the Well insisting on move for censuring the Government for the decision forcing the Chair to adjourn the House for the day. The issue figured in the House soon after Question Hour as the members from various parties rose to press for admission of their adjournment notices for taking up discussion over the issue immediately. However, Speaker Sumitra Mahajan rejected their notices causing an uproar in the House. This forced the Chair to adjourn the House till 1230 hrs. However, on reassembling, the situation remained unchanged and Ms Mahajan adjourned the House for the day within 5-7 minutes.

The Rajya Sabha today witnessed an uproar by the Opposition over its demand for presence of Prime Minister during debate on demonetisation forcing repeated adjournments, the last one till 1400 hrs. The House was adjourned four times--twice each during Zero Hour and Question Hour. As soon as it re-assembled at 1230 hrs, Opposition members entered the Well, raising slogans demanding the presence of the Prime Minister in the House. The uproar forced Chairman Hamid Ansari to announce adjournment till 1400 hrs.

Proceedings started on a stormy note with All India Trinamool Congress members vociferously opposing the scrapping of high value currency notes. This led to the first adjournment till 1130 hrs and the situation remained unchanged thereafter. Soon after the laying of papers, AITC MP Derek O'Brien demanded the presence of the Prime Minister in the House when the issue was debated. He said, 'The discussion on the issue has been on since yesterday. But where is the person who made this announcement on November 8 at 8 pm?" The remark evoked a protest from Information and Broadcasting Minister M Venkaiah Naidu and Social Justice Minister Thawar Chand Gehlot.

This triggered a sharp protest from the members of AITC and other Opposition parties who trooped into the Well raising slogans. Meanwhile, the AIADMK members also entered the well over the Cauvery water issue. The uproar forced Deputy chairman P J Kurien to adjourn the House till 1130 hrs. When the proceedings resumed, Opposition MPs again rushed to the Well. The unrelenting Opposition did not allow the Question Hour also to function with the Chair helplessly watching the slogan shouting members. (UNI)