No-confidence motion not taken up as protests wash out Lok Sabha

The notices for no-confidence motion against the government could not be taken up in the Lok Sabha on Monday due to noisy protests by several parties, which washed out the proceedings in both Houses of Parliament.

Monday was the 11th consecutive day that the proceedings were washed out and the second day that Lok Sabha Speaker Sumitra Mahajan could not take up the notices for no-confidence motion.

While the Rajya Sabha was adjourned for the day within 10 minutes after it had assembled in the morning, the Lok Sabha was first adjourned till noon and then for the day after the listed papers were laid.

The Lower House was adjourned for the day amid noisy protests by members from various parties, with Mahajan saying “since the House is not in order, I will not be able to bring it... I am sorry” and then adjourning the proceedings.

Amid the din, Home Minister Rajnath Singh said the government was ready for discussion on any issue, including on the no-confidence motion.

The notices for the motion have been given by YSR Congress member Y V Subba Reddy and two members of the Telugu Desam Party -- Thota Narasimham and Jayadev Galla. Both parties have been demanding special package for Andhra Pradesh, an issue on which the TDP quit the ruling NDA alliance last week.

As soon as the House met for Zero Hour after the Question Hour was washed out, members from the Telangana Rashtra Samithi and All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam trooped into the Well carrying placards. While the TRS was demanding a rise in quota, the AIADMK was pressing for immediate setting up of the Cauvery river management board.

Soon after papers were laid on the table amid unrelented slogan-shouting by members, Home Minister Rajnath Singh said the government was ready to discuss any issue.

Some members have given notices for no-confidence motion and the government is ready for discussion on that as well, Singh said and requested all parties to cooperate so that the discussion can be taken up.

The Speaker also repeatedly asked the more than 25 members from the AIADMK and TRS, who were protesting inside the Well, to return to their seats.

As the uproar continued, Mahajan said she was duty-bound to take up the notices for no-confidence motion but could not do so as the House was not in order.

Earlier during Question Hour, members from the TDP, YSR Congress, TRS and AIADMK protested over various issues, including the banking scam, leading to adjournment of the House till noon.

Since March 5, when Parliament had reassembled for the budget session after recess, both Houses have been witnessing disruptions every day. Last week, the Lok Sabha had passed the Finance Bill and the appropriation bills without any discussion amid similar protests.

The Rajya Sabha was adjourned for the day without transacting any business after parties from Tamil Nadu and Andhra Pradesh disrupted proceedings over their state-specific demands.

No sooner were the listed papers laid on the table, Andhra parties led by the TDP and KVP Ramachandra Rao of the Congress trooped into the Well shouting slogans for
special status for the state, while Tamil Nadu parties – DMK and AIADMK - raised the Cauvery water issue.

Chairman M Venkaiah Naidu repeatedly asked members to allow the House to function and called for taking up listed Zero Hour mentions on issues of public importance.

But with members refusing to budge from their positions in the Well, he adjourned the House till Tuesday within 10 minutes of the commence of proceedings.

An upset Naidu said Parliament has become a “laughing stock” because of repeated adjournments due to the protests from the Well of the House.

“This is not in the interest of the country, this is not in the interest of Parliament,” he said asking members to allow the House to function.

As the protesting parties displayed placards in support of their demands, he said he was willing to allow discussion on all the issues being raised.

The government, he said, too was willing to discuss and “so where is the problem?”

“How long will this continue? People have already started criticising (Parliament functioning),” he said before adjourning the proceedings for the day.

Image: TDP MPs protest inside Parliament premises, demanding for special status for their state. On Monday, they were joined by Congress's Renuka Chowdhury. Photograph: ANI/Twitter