Lok Sabha adjourned till noon, RS for day amid uproar

New Delhi: The Lok Sabha was adjourned till 12 noon on Thursday after it witnessed vociferous protests by the Opposition on different issues, including the Rafale fighter jet deal and the Cauvery water dispute.

As soon as the House assembled, Congress, AIADMK and Telugu Desam Party (TDP) members trooped near the Speaker's podium and started sloganeering in support of their various demands.

The Congress members were demanding a Joint Parliamentary Committee (JPC) probe in the deal for 36 ready-to-fly Rafale fighter jets, while the AIADMK members demanded withdrawal of the proposal to construct a dam across the Cauvery river at Mekedatu.

The TDP raised several issues related to their demand for special status for Andhra Pradesh.

During the pandemonium, Speaker Sumitra Mahajan warned the protesting members on more than three occasions she would name them if they did not return to their seats.

"I am requesting all of you. I want justice for all. I will name all of you in the well. I will allow you after Question Hour. Please go back to your seats," Mahajan said.

As the din continued, she adjourned the House till 12 p.m. amid the Question Hour.

The Rajya Sabha was Thursday adjourned for the day without transacting any business after ruckus in the House over issues ranging from construction of a dam on the Cauvery River to violence in Uttar Pradesh's Bulandshahr district.

While slogan shouting members of Tamil parties -- AIADMK and DMK trooped -- into the well of the House over construction of Mekadatu Dam on Cauvery River, Samajwadi Party and BSP members raised the issue of mob violence in Bulandshahr that left two dead, including an inspector rank police officer.

A couple of members from Andhra Pradesh too were in the well of the House demanding special status for the state.

Rajya Sabha Chairman M Venkaiah Naidu said nothing that the protesting members were saying would go on record and then adjourned the proceedings for the day.

"As nobody seems to be interested I have no option but to adjourn the House for the day," he said before adjourning the proceedings till Friday.

The trouble started soon after the House mourned the death of its former members N Rajangam and Jai Narain Prasad Nishad and listed papers were presented to the House.

Members of Tamil parties shouted slogans from the well of the House seeking justice for the state over the Cauvery issue while SP and BSP members stood in their places raising the issue of Bulandshahr violence.

TMC leader Derek O'Brien too was up on his feet trying to a raise an issue but could not be heard in the din.

Thursday was the first sitting of the House after the four-day Christmas break.