New Delhi: The Rajya Sabha witnessed Tuesday uproar over the Karnataka crisis with the opposition Congress members storming the well of the House and raising slogans, leading to adjournment of proceedings for the day.
The Upper House witnessed protests by members of Congress, Trinamool Congress, (TMC), CPI and CPIM as soon as it reconvened at 2.00 pm following two adjournments earlier in the day. The House was adjourned within three minutes as ruckus prevailed.
Deputy Chairman Harivansh, who was chairing the proceedings, made repeated appeals to protesting members to return to their seats, observing that the House has to discuss the Union Budget 2019-20 and Congress leader P Chidambaram was slated to speak on the issue.
The Congress has been accusing the ruling BJP at the Centre of instigating a rebellion within the Congress-JD(S) government in Karnataka. The year-old coalition government in Karnataka is on the brink of collapse after a spate of resignations by MLAs.
The Karnataka Assembly has 225 members, including one nominated MLA. The halfway mark in the 225-member Assembly is 113.
Earlier in the day, the House was adjourned till 2.00pm after protests by Congress members continued. Within minutes of assembly of the House, Congress members stormed into the well shouting slogans that implied that democracy was being killed in reference to developments in Karnataka.
TMC members too trooped into the well against privatisation of public sector units, forcing Chairman M Venkaiah Naidu to adjourn proceedings till 1200 hours.
Harivansh before adjourning the House for the day told protesting Congress members that the Chairman had allowed them to raise the Karnataka issue during the Zero Hour, but it was not availed.
Earlier during the Zero Hour, Naidu said he has received a notice under rule 267 from Congress member BK Hariprasad, seeking suspension of the listed business to take up the Karnataka issue. “I am not allowing it,” Naidu said, prompting Congress members to rush to the well shouting slogans.
PTI