The Rajya Sabha proceedings were adjourned again till 2 pm on Thursday as Opposition members created an uproar over the Pegasus snooping controversy and various other issues.
Chairman M Venkaiah Naidu first adjourned the proceedings till noon after the Opposition members did not yield to his request to maintain order in the House.
When the House resumed at 12.00 hours, Deputy Chairman Harivansh Narayan Singh could conduct the Question Hour for nearly 35 minutes. Of the 15 questions listed, five were taken up.
Amid the din, the ministers concerned responded to queries raised by the members, but the protesting members were in the Well shouting slogans in regional languages and even whistling, thereby disrupting the functioning of the House.
The chair reminded the protesting members of the resolution adopted during the golden jubilee celebrations of independence that they will preserve the sanctity of the House and no one will disrupt the Question Hour and protest in the Well.
As the members continued to protest, the chair adjourned the House till 2 pm.
Earlier, soon after the listed papers were laid on the table of the House, Naidu said he has not accepted the notices given by various opposition party members under Rule 267 for suspension of the business to allow a discussion on the issues raised by them.
The Congress MPs protested and several of them were on their feet.
“What is all this? What is happening?… You go to your seats,” the chairman said as Trinamool Congress (TMC) members trooped into the Well, some carrying placards. They were later joined by Congress members.
Naidu asked the protesting members to return to their seats, but they refused to oblige.
The chairman then adjourned the proceedings till noon.
The members who had given the notices under Rule 267 for suspension of the business included Sukhendu Sekhar Ray (TMC), Amee Yajnik (Congress), Neeraj Dangi (Congress), Elamaram Kareem (CPI-M), Binoy Viswam (CPI), Ram Gopal Yadav (SP), Vishambhar Prasad Nishad (SP) and Ripun Bora (Congress).
Naidu said he had gone through the notices and decided not to admit them.
