Andhra Pradesh bill stalls Rajya Sabha proceedings

 

The Congress derailed the proceedings of Rajya Sabha today, forcing an early adjournment of the House, as it pressed for taking up of a private member bill on special package for Andhra Pradesh. The disruption came with a threat of not allowing government business till the demand is met.

 

The House could not function after lunch as vociferous Congress members created an uproar and trooped into Well of the House to press their demand.

 

The Bill was supposed to be moved by Congress member KVP Ramchandra Rao last Friday during Private Member business. But it could not be taken up on that day as the House was adjourned due to the ruckus over AAP MP Bhagwant Mann's controversial filming of Parliament.

 

Deputy Leader of Congress Anand Sharma led his party's charge saying "grave injustice" was done when the ruling party and its cabinet ministers disrupted the House on Friday as a result of which the private member bill could not be taken up.

 

"What happened on Friday was by design. It was planned by the government to disrupt the proceedings," Sharma said.

 

He made it clear that the Congress does not want anything else discussed until the Andhra bill was taken up. Slamming the government for its silence over the demand, he said, "That day (Friday), they were shouting vociferously. Today they have lost their voice. We cannot allow government business to be taken up (unless the private member bill is taken up)."

 

The Congress party, he said, was not coming in the way of government business but registering its protest over the way an important bill was scuttled.

 

Deputy Chairman P J Kurien said the bill can be taken up only on August 5 as, according to practice, private bills and resolutions are taken up on alternate Fridays.

 

"It is my ruling that the Bill will not be taken up today for discussion," he said.

 

Congress members repeatedly trooped into Well of the House, shouting "Andhra wants justice", forcing Kurien to adjourn the House twice briefly before finally adjourning the House for the day minutes after 3 pm.