Rajya Sabha adjourned till 2 pm as Opposition raises issue of police action against students

NEW DELHI: Rajya Sabha was adjourned till 2pm, for the second time on Wednesday, after Opposition members tried to raise the issue of police action against students protesting the NEET examination paper leak.

"The House will meet again at 2 pm today," Deputy Chairman Harivansh announced after his repeated requests to members to let the House function were ignored.

The House proceedings began at 11 am, but as soon as the Leader of the Opposition and Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge attempted to raise the issue of the baton charge and use of tear gas against student protesters earlier this week, Treasury bench members objected loudly, triggering a shouting match across the House.

Before Kharge could complete even one sentence, Chairman C P Radhakrishnan adjourned the proceedings until noon.

Earlier, when the House met for the day, members observed a moment of silence to mourn at least 20 people killed in an accident at an under-construction tunnel of the state-run NHPC's hydroelectric project on the Teesta river in Sikkim.

Radhakrishnan also informed the House about the commencement of operations of India's first indigenously developed hydrogen-powered train, describing it as a milestone in clean, sustainable and technologically advanced rail transport.

He said the House congratulated the Prime Minister, the Railway Minister and railway officials on the achievement.

After listed papers were tabled, Kharge, wearing a black armband in protest, said the police action against students on Monday had caused him "immense pain."

Treasury and Opposition members then engaged in a fresh round of slogan-shouting, prompting the Chair to adjourn the House until 12 noon.

Most of the Congress MPs were wearing black shirts and kurtas to protest against police action on students.