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Parl proceedings washed out for 14th day in a row

New Delhi: Parliament proceedings were disrupted for the 14th straight day on the second leg of the budget session today due to unabated protests by opposition parties and those from some southern states.
For a change, the Rajya Sabha passed without debate a crucial legislation to amend the gratuity law before the House was adjourned for the day due to the noisy protests by the Congress, TDP and AIADMK on various issues.
As in the recent past, the Lok Sabha was first adjourned till noon and then for the day with Speaker Sumitra Mahajan saying that she cannot take up the no-confidence motion as there is no order in the House.
In the Upper House, Chairman M Venkaiah Naidu said he has been adjourning the proceedings as he does not want the people to "see the ugly scenes", a reference to the slogan-shouting and display of placards by members of different parties protesting in the Well.
Both the Houses have been disrupted over various issues like the banking scam, Cauvery water dispute and demand for special status to Andhra Pradesh, ever since Parliament met on March 5 to carry forward the Budget Session.
When the Upper House met this morning, the listed papers were laid and then brief statements were made by TDP member C M Ramesh and AIADMK MP V Maitreyan on their demands -- special status to Andhra and setting up of the Cauvery river management board respectively.
Naidu then said that he had met leaders of various parties in the morning and it was decided that the House would take up the crucial Payment of Gratuity (Amendment) Bill as it was of importance to the employees.
Labour Minister Santosh Kumar Gangwar then moved the bill for consideration and passage and the measure was passed by a voice vote, without debate. A couple of amendments to the bill were not moved by Congress member T Subbarami Reddy.
However, the semblance of normality was short-lived as slogan shouting members from the TDP and the AIADMK soon trooped into the Well. They were joined by some Congress members.
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