Hyderabad: The much-hyped voting on the Private Member’s Bill for Special Category Status to AP was stalled on Friday by the BJP-led NDA members’ demands of “severest action” on AAP Lok Sabha Member.
The protests forced abrupt adjournment of the Rajya Sabha for Monday.
Rajya Sabha Dy Chairman P.J. Kurian, who was presiding, observed that it was ‘strange’ that the treasury benches resorting to stalling the business of the House exclusively marked for taking up Private Member’s Business, and adjourned the House to Monday.
Crucial voting on the Private Member’s Bill moved by Congress MP K.V.P. Ramachandra Rao, which could not be taken up on March 11 due to lack of quorum, will have to wait for next Friday. Chances of it being taken up depend on the developments on that day.
On Friday, the entire Opposition was on its feet, condemning the ruling alliance’s move to disturb the proceedings, when the NDA MPs rushed to the podium and created pandemonium by raising slogans against AAP MP Bhagwant Mann and demanding stern action against him.
When the Rajya Sabha, after two adjournments in the morning session, again met at 2.30 pm to take up the Private Members’ Business and Mr Kurian asked the Members to introduce the Bills listed against their names, the NDA Members rushed to podium raising slogans.
At this stage Opposition Members Anand Sharma (Congress) and Sitaram Yechury (CPM) expressed their serious objections over the manner in which the ruling party was trying to stall the House proceedings which was unheard of and unprecedented.
Despite the repeated objections, both from the Opposition and from the Chair, the ruling party members continued their protests and sloganeering till Mr Kurian announced adjournment of the House for Monday.
“Normally it is the Opposition that tries to stall the proceedings, but it is strange the ruling party is resorting to stall the House. What you are doing is not proper, you cannot do it like this,” Mr Kurian said.
At one stage, Mr Sharma, said: “You are the government, you should take action against the AAP MP. you are demanding action against the Member. How can Chair take action, you all determined to block the passage of Private Member’s Bill, this cannot be allowed.”
Mr Yechury said it was clear that the ruling alliance MPs wanted to stall the House only to block the Bill. “By blocking the Bill, they are doing injustice to AP and its people,” he said.
