Protests overpower bills as logjam stays in House

ticipated in a discussion to mark the International Women’s Day in the Upper House.

Lok Sabha Speaker Sumitra Mahajan adjourned the House immediately after the Question Hour started on Monday as the TDP, Telangana Rashtra Samithi, All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam and YSR Congress members stormed the Well carrying placards and raised slogans.

When the House met again at noon, the protests continued but the Speaker went ahead with the proceedings, which included the introduction of the two bills.

Bhartruhari Mahtab of the BJD opposed the introduction of The Fugitive Economic Offenders Bill, saying its provisions violate the citizens’ fundamental rights and that it is based on the premise of “guilty till proven innocent” and not the other way round. He questioned the provision of seizing the assets before the accused was proven guilty.

However, Shukla said these provisions can be debated during the discussion on the bill and introduced the bill. Soon after this, the House was adjourned.

The two Houses have been witnessing uproar since March 5.

The TDP, which remains a member of the ruling NDA though it has pulled out of the central government, is demanding special category status for Andhra Pradesh. The TRS members are seeking enhanced reservation in Telangana, while the AIADMK is pressing for setting up the Cauvery river board to settle Tamil Nadu’s water dispute with neighbours. The Congress and the TMC have been raising the issue of bank frauds.

Similar scenes were witnessed in Rajya Sabha, where the House was first adjourned till 2pm and later for the day due to unrelenting protests by members.

After the papers were laid in the House, members of TDP, YSRC, TMC, AIADMK and AAP were up on their feet seeking to raise a point of order.

As Chairman Venkaiah Naidu tried to pacify the members and conduct the Zero Hour, protesting members trooped into the Well holding placards and shouting slogans. The only Congress member protesting in the Well was KVP Ramachandra Rao from Andhra Pradesh.

KUNAL PATIL/HT Over 35,000 farmers from across Maharashtra, who began travelling on foot from Nashik on March 6 to press for their demands, reached Azad Maidan in Mumbai early on Monday.

SONU MEHTA/HT TDP leaders raise slogans demanding special category status for Andhra Pradesh outside Parliament during the second leg of the ongoing budget session in New Delhi on Monday.