New Delhi, Dec 15 (IANS) The Rajya Sabha was on Thursday adjourned till 2.00 p.m. amid sloganeering and counter-sloganeering by the opposition and treasury benches.
As soon as the House met at about 12.30 p.m. after a second adjournment, Chairman Hamid Ansari gave a call for Question Hour but the opposition MPs started protesting noisily. Some came over to the aisle.
Janata Dal-United leader Sharad Yadav raised the issue of farmers' distress because of demonetisation and said their debts should be written off.
Immediately, the other opposition MPs started shouting slogans: "Kisan ka karza maaf karo" (Write off the farmers' debt).
To this, some of the treasury benches MPs, who were also on their feet, shouted back: "Agusta ka paisa kahan gaya?" (Who took bribe from AgustaWestland?).
Amid the pandemonium, Ansari adjourned the House till 2.00 p.m.
Earlier, the upper house saw two adjournments.
Soon after the Rajya Sabha met for the day, the Chair allowed Leader of Opposition Ghulam Nabi Azad to speak but the MPs from the treasury benches did not allow him to say anything.
"This should also go on record that in both the Houses it is the ruling party that is not allowing any work," Azad said, adding it was happening for the "first time in the history of India".
Deputy Chairman P.J. Kurien kept on requesting the protesting members to maintain peace but his pleas went unheard.
"Why should both sides create problem? I don't know," he said and adjourned the House till 12 p.m.
The Rajya Sabha was again disrupted and adjourned for half hour minutes after it reassembled at noon.
