Ruckus over Delhi riots rocks Parliament for second day; govt. agrees for discussion

New Delhi, March 3 (PTI): Parliament proceedings were disrupted for the second straight day on Tuesday as ruckus over Delhi riots continued to overshadow proceedings in both Houses even as the government agreed to Opposition parties’ demand for a discussion on the violence.

Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha witnessed uproarious scenes as Congress and other Opposition parties demandez an immediate discussion on riots in the national capital, forcing multiple adjournments of the proceedings.

Despite Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla’s warning that members could be suspended from attending rest of the session in case of certain unruly behaviour, there was ruckus in the afternoon as BJP and Opposition members tried to shove each other.

Opposition members, who were demanding an immediate discussion, trooped into the Well of the House after Birla said the discussion would take place on March 11 after Holi festival. Amid the uproar, some members were also seen banging the enclosure of Secretary General Snehlata Shrivastava, whose seat is just below the Speaker’s podium.

While not much legislative business could be taken up, Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman introduced a bill in Lok Sabha to amend banking laws to strengthen cooperative banks.

As the Upper House met at 3 pm after two adjournments, Leader of Opposition in Rajya Sabha Ghulam Nabi Azad said it would appear strange if Parliament did not discuss the incidents of violence in Delhi when the whole world was talking about the violence.

Leader of the House Thawar Chand Gehlot said the government was ready for a discussion on the issue.

Deputy Chairman Harivansh said the timing of the discussion could only be decided after consulting the Chairman. Vice President Venkaiah Naidu is the Chairman of Rajya Sabha.

Amid din, the House was adjourned for the day.

In the afternoon, Congress leader in Lok Sabha Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury walked over to the side of the Well facing the Treasury benches, which led to a commotion between the ruling party and opposition members. Other Opposition party members too followed Chowdhury and BJP members blocked their way.

BJP MP from West Bengal Locket Chatterjee was seen having heated arguments with Chowdhury, and Union minister Ravi Shankar Prasad tried to pacify them.

“We are working for the benefit of the country. Keeping in mind the situation in the country, celebrate Holi festival in peace and harmony… government is ready to discuss the issue after Holi on March 11,” Birla said.

As the ruckus continued after the House met at 2 pm, Birla adjourned the proceedings for the day. Prior to that, there were two adjournments.

Earlier in the day, Birla warned that members from Opposition and Treasury sides who cross over to the other side during the time of uproar would be suspended for the rest of the session.

The announcement came a day after some Congress and BJP members pushed and shoved each other in the House as tempers rose over the issue of violence in Delhi.

Before adjourning for the day after it met at 3 pm, there were two adjournments in Rajya Sabha as Opposition and Treasury benches indulged in a war of words over alleged hate speech by Union Minister Anurag Thakur in the run up to Delhi Assembly polls and violence in the national capital.

There was ruckus in the House in the morning when Thakur, who is the Minister of State for Finance, was called to lay listed papers pertaining to the Finance Ministry. He was booed by Opposition benches.

Delhi violence: 436 cases filed, over 1,400 held or detained
The Delhi Police has registered 436 FIRs and arrested or detained 1,427 people in connection with the communal violence in northeast Delhi, an officer said on Tuesday.

Forty-five of the cases were registered under the Arms Act, the officer said.
According to police, the police control room (PCR) did not receive calls of rioting in the past six days.

The situation in the riot-affected areas is under control, the police said.

On Tuesday, Mohammed Shahrukh, who was seen confronting an unarmed police personnel during violence at Maujpur last week, was arrested from Uttar Pradesh’s Shamli district, police said.