Over and out in 4 minutes as protests block parliament

new delhi — Both houses of parliament were disrupted again on Friday, washing out the first week of the monsoon session without transacting any major business.

In a reminder of the 15th Lok Sabha that witnessed maximum disruptions, both houses, for the fourth consecutive day, saw the government and the opposition trading charges.

Those alligned to the government in a unique show sat on a protest in the parliament complex, demanding that the two houses should function.

The opposition, on the other hand, asked to whom were the protesting ruling alliance members pitching their demands.

The Congress also trained its guns on Prime Minister Narendra Modi for keeping a “conspiratorial silence” on the Lalit Modi controversy and the resultant parliament logjam.

While the Lok Sabha was adjourned four minutes after it met for the day at 11am, the Rajya Sabha witnessed several adjournments, before it was finally adjourned for the day at 2.30pm.

The Rajya Sabha witnessed several adjournments, before it was finally adjourned for the day at 2.30pm. The opposition is demanding the resignations of Ex- ternal Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj and Rajasthan Chief Minister Vasundhara Raje for helping former Indian Premier League chief Lalit Modi, and of Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Sivraj Singh Chouhan over the Vyapam scam.

The government, meanwhile, made it clear there would be no resignations, also adding that state issues would not be raised in parliament. Treasury benches in both houses pressed for taking up a debate on the controversy surrounding Sushma Swaraj.

As soon as the lower house assembled in the morning, Speaker Sumitra Mahajan said she has received adjournment motions from

PTI the opposition on the controversy about BJP leaders’ closeness with former Lalit Modi as well as on the Vyapam scam.

However, the speaker dismissed the adjournment motions, and the resultant din forced her to adjourn the Lok Sabha for the day. In the Rajya Sabha, where the opposition is in a majority, heated exchanges between the treasury and opposition benches were witnessed, with members from both sides creating ruckus.

The opposition did not even allow private member’s business, which is usually spared from protests, to be taken up.

As the house met, Congress leader Pramod Tiwari said a notice has been submitted. “Who asked for Lalit Modi to be helped? Is the government going to sack Sushma Swaraj and Vasundhara Raje or not,” Tiwari asked.

The Congress members then shouted slogans and demanded the resignations of the BJP leaders, while the ruling party members insisted that a debate be taken up immediately.

Leader of opposition Ghulam Nabi Azad said the ruling party members were disrupting the house.

The din continued through the day, and the house was first adjourned till noon, then till 2.30 before being adjourned for the day. —