The government on Monday categorically ruled out resignation of Finance Minister Arun Jaitley over allegations of corruption in Delhi cricket body DDCA which he headed till 2013, as Congress member disrupted proceedings of Rajya Sabha.
"No one will resign," Minister of State for Parliamentary Affairs Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi said as slogan-shouting Congress members demanded Jaitley's resignation.
No one will resign over "false charges" levelled against them, he asserted.
But Congress members continued to shout slogans, forcing two adjournments in the pre-noon session.
Soon after listed papers were laid on the table, placard holding Congress members were up on their feet shouting slogans seeking Jaitley's resignation.
Jaitley said he was ready to reply to all charges and urged the Chair to ask Leader of the Opposition Ghulam Nabi Azad to raise a discussion immediately.
"I am not going to live by any vague statements," Jaitely said, adding "if they have a single statement, let him (Azad) make it right now. I will answer it right now."
He was responding to Azad's statement that many big allegations including that of a Rs 150 crore fraud, 14 bogus companies being floated and conflict of interest at DDCA, have been in discussion for several days now.
Demanding a discussion, Azad said "he (Jaitley) can't remain on the position."
Deputy Chairman P J Kurien said there is a procedure for levelling allegations against a member of the House or a minister and a prior notice to the concerned has to be given.
He then went on to expunge all allegations against the finance minister.
But Congress members were unrelenting and continued to raise slogans. They held placards that read: "First Resign, Then Discussion" and "Caesar's Wife Should Be Above Suspicion."
"Why are you allowing all this noise? Ask him to start discussion right now. I will answer it right now," Jaitley said.
Kurien said the Leader of the House was ready for discussion and the Congress should give notice for discussion.
"Sir, do I assume that they have nothing to say except raise slogans," Jaitley remarked as Congress members continued to shout slogans.
The slogan shouting intensified after Naqvi ruled out resignation, forcing Kurien to adjourn the House for 15 minutes.
When the House re-assembled, Parliamentary Affairs Minister M Venkaiah Naidu said there was widespread agitation across the country and the House should take up the Juvenile Justice Bill.
Sitaram Yechury (CPI-M) said if the government thinks "it (the Bill) is that important, you should have listed it" and asked why the legislation was not listed in today's business.
Naidu said the Juvenile Bill was listed in the business on December 8, 10 and 11, but the House did not function then.
He said the government was ready to bring a supplementary agenda and discuss it today.
However, Leader of the House Ghulam Nabi Azad said taking up the bill for discussion was "an after-thought on part of the government".
"Let them list it for tomorrow. If government was so keen, they should have listed (it for today)...they are giving impression that Opposition is not letting it pass," he said, adding the government was trying to blame the Opposition.
Kurien urged the members not to engage in blame game and said let the government bring the bill and get it passed.
However, Congress members kept raising slogans and displayed placards, even as Kurien asked them not to do that.
As Congress members kept raising slogans, Kurien said it was "unjustified" as the Finance Minister was ready to discuss the issue.
With slogan shouting Congress members entering the Well, the Deputy Chairman adjourned the House till noon.
When the House met again, similar scenes were witnessed. Ruling party members also countered the slogan shouting by the Congress by levelling charges against Sonia Gandhi.
This further infuriated the Congress members who again rushed to the Well forcing Chairman Hamid Ansari to adjourn the House till 1230 hours.
When the House reassembled, Congress protests demanding resignation of Jaitley continued unabated.
Ansari's pleas for taking up the Question Hour evoked no response from protesting Congress members who kept raising slogans standing in the isle.
"Please go back to your seats. Please don't do this. This is unbecoming of members. It is unbecoming of you," he said and then adjourned the House till 2 pm.
