Terror attacks, note ban halt Rajya Sabha again

Rejecting the government’s offer for discussion on the situation along the border and resuming the debate on demonetisation of 500 and 1000 rupee notes, Opposition members trooped into the Well shouting anti-government slogans, forcing Deputy Chairman P J Kurien to adjourn the proceedings till noon.     When the House reassembled at noon, the uproar continued and the Question Hour could not be taken up, forcing Chairman Hamid Ansari to adjourn the proceedings till 1400 hours. As the House reassembled at 1400 hours, the protests continued as Opposition members kept on demanding that the House should condole the killing of armymen and the death of 82 persons due to post-demonetisation hardships. 

Azad demanded a statement from the Defence Minister on the Nagrota attack. Amid noisy scenes, HRD Minister Prakash Javadekar said, “Our soldiers are fighting against enemies. We must be sensitive and united in our approach. Otherwise, it will give wrong message.” Trying to convince the Opposition, Minister of State for Parliamentary Affairs Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi said the armymen are fighting at borders and they are still on job. “We are ready for debate on this issue,” he said. But the unrelenting Opposition MPs assembled near the Chairman’s podium, raising slogans “Jai Jawan, Jai Kisan.” As slogan-shouting continued, the Chair warned the Opposition members that he would adjourn the House. As the pleas for order went unheeded and Opposition members continued raising slogans demanding resignation of the Defence Minister, Kurien adjourned the House for the day.