New Delhi, Nov 21 (IANS) The Rajya Sabha was on Monday adjourned till 2 p.m., in the fourth adjournment since morning, amid pandemonium by the opposition over demonetisation.
As the house met at 12.30 p.m. after three adjournments, the opposition again started creating ruckus. To this, Minister of State for Parliamentary Affairs Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi said the opposition was not able to gauge the mood of the nation which was in favour of the demonetisation move.
The opposition MPs, who were on their feet, protested loudly to the minister's observation.
They kept demanding obituary reference for the deaths of people due to standing in queues outside ATMs or banks since the government's November 8 demonetisation of 500 and 1,000 rupee notes.
House Chair Hamid Ansari pleaded with the agitated members to calm down, but they kept on shouting. The chair adjourned the house till 2 p.m.
In the morning, the session began with condolences being paid for the deaths in the Kanpur train derailment on Sunday.
Immediately after, opposition members sought a similar reference for the deaths of people caused by standing in queues outside ATMs since the government's demonetisation move.
"If there can be condolences for the deaths caused in a train accident then why not for the people who died standing in the queue outside ATMs after the demonetisation," asked the CPI-M's Sitaram Yechury.
In the midst of continuous uproar, Deputy Chairman P.J. Kurien adjourned the house till 12.30 p.m.