New Delhi: Congress on Thursday disrupted the proceedings of the Rajya Sabha forcing two adjournments during the Question Hour over the happenings in Arunachal Pradesh where the party is accusing the Governor of seeking to 'destabilise' its government there.
Congress members forced two adjournments during the Question Hour with its members raising slogans in the Well of the House and its leaders terming the developments in Arunachal as "alarming" for democracy and regional parties.
Raising the issue during Zero Hour, Leader of Opposition Ghulam Nabi Azad said it has never happened in the history of India that a Deputy Speaker of Assembly removes the Speaker and that too not in the Assembly, but from a makeshift venue.
"Can another Assembly be created... this is an alarm bell ...not only for one state, but for all regional parties," he said, adding that the assembly was being run from "someone's drawing room".
"This is very alarming," Azad said, who along with some other members had given a notice on the issue. Deputy Chairman P J Kurien said the notices were being examined by the Chairman Hamid Ansari and added that it was "not proper" to discuss the role of a Governor in the House.
"Knowingly, unknowingly you are criticising the Governor... that is my problem. Once the motion is admitted, we can discuss," Kurien said and asked members not to criticise the Governor till then.
Sitaram Yechury (CPI-M) said the developments in Arunchal Pradesh were "anti-democratic".
Azad said on one hand, the government was seeking Opposition cooperation in running of the House, on the other it was 'dislodging' an elected state government.
Sharad Yadav (JU-U) said it was not the first time that the Arunchal Pradesh issue has been raised in the House. "This is an alarming siutation. The (Centre) should have acted immediately," he said.
Kurien said anything against the Governor would be expunged from the records.
As the House started taking up special mentions, Congress members trooped into the Well raising slogans like 'We want justice', and 'Modi's dictatorship will not be allowed'. They also shouted slogans like "Killing of democracy will not be allowed in Arunachal" and "Killing of Constitution will not be allowed in Arunachal".
At noon, Chairman Hamid Ansari asked the slogan-shouting members to return to their seats and allow the Question Hour to go on, but the unrelenting members continued with their protest, forcing an adjournment for 30 minutes.
While a member asked a question, the reply by HRD Minister Smriti Irani could not be heard amid din.
When the House reassembled, Azad again rose to raise the Arunachal issue but was disallowed by Ansari who said it was the members' right to ask questions and they should not disrupt the proceedings.
"Don't deprive them of their right to ask questions," he said, asking members to take to their seats.
Protesting Congress members were initially standing in the isles raising slogans, but later entered the Well, forcing Ansari to adjourn the House till 2 pm.
