RS adjourned for the day amid uproar over Rahul’s democracy remarks

New Delhi, Mar 15 (PTI) Rajya Sabha proceedings were disrupted for the third day in a row on Wednesday amid uproar over the BJP’s demand for Congress leader Rahul Gandhi’s apology for his “democracy under attack” remark made in London.

When the Upper House resumed for the afternoon session following an adjournment earlier in the day, Chairman Jagdeep Dhankhar gave the floor to Leader of Opposition Mallikarjun Kharge.

However, Kharge who said the opposition has been repeatedly demanding a Joint Parliamentary Committee probe into the Adani issue and sought to raise the matter of the opposition parties’ march to ED office, could not complete his remark as the BJP members shouted Gandhi must apologise for his remarks discrediting the country.

Dhankhar then asked Leader of the House Piyush Goyal to control his team even as the sloganeering continued.

“If in this House we do not express where will we express? The Leader of Opposition wanted to say something he should be heard… I would urge everyone to observe order and listen to him,” Dhankhar said.

As Kharge tried to speak again, the ruling party members resumed their sloganeering and he could not complete his speech in the din, forcing the Chairman to adjourn the proceedings of the House for the day.

Earlier in the day, soon after laying of papers, Dhankhar said he has received 11 notices in seven categories under Rule 267 for suspension of business but before he could give a ruling on the notices, the BJP members raised the apology demand.

This led to pandemonium in the House, with opposition members raising their voice rejecting the demand.

Dhankhar then adjourned the House till 2 PM.

The opposition has been stalling proceedings in both houses of Parliament over the Adani issue, while the BJP members have stepped up the heat on Gandhi and have demanded that he tender an apology.

Both houses have failed to transact business so far in the second leg of the Budget session of Parliament that began on Monday.

Gandhi, during his recent UK visit, had alleged that the structures of Indian democracy were under “brutal attack” and there was a full-scale assault on the country’s institutions.