New Delhi, March 5 (IANS) The Rajya Sabha was adjourned for the day on Monday amid ruckus by the opposition over frauds in the public sector banks (PSBs), in the backdrop of the latest Rs 12,600 crore Punjab National Bank (PNB) scam involving diamontaire Nirav Modi.
As the upper House was reconvened at 2 p.m. after two earlier adjournments, the opposition MPs were on their feet and many of them trooped to the space near the Chair's podium, shouting slogans "Nirav Modi ko wapas lao (Bring Nirav Modi back)".
Nirav Modi of the Gitanjali Gems was photographed with Prime Minister Narendra Modi at the World Economic Forum at Davos in Switzerland in January. The businessman, however, fled India just few days before the PNB scam came to light.
The government has denied that Nirav Modi was part of the official delegation that went with the Prime Minister to Davos.
Deputy Chairman P.J. Kurien asked the agitating members to return to their seats but they kept shouting slogans.
On the other side of the podium, Telugu Desam Party (TDP) MPs also resumed their protest over alleged "injustice" to Andhra Pradesh in Telangana's comparison and demanded special financial package from the Centre for their state that was bifurcated into Andhra and Telangana in 2014.
Kurien said that he was ready to allow a short duration discussion on the PSB frauds and asked Leader of Opposition Ghulam Nabi Azad to start the discussion. However, Azad said over the din that discussion could be resumed only if the other parties agreed to it.
"Prime Minister Modi had promised to bring back black money. The black money hasn't come but the white money has certainly flown out of the country," Azad said.
Amid the din, Kurien adjourned the House for the day.
Earlier in the morning as soon as the House met for the day, opposition MPs protested against the multi-crore PNB scam.
AChairman M. Venkaiah Naidu first adjourned the House for 10 minutes, but as soon as it reconvened at 11.20 a.m., the scene was no different.
Naidu asked the agitating members to return to their seats, saying all the matters raised by them would be discussed under appropriate rules. However, the MPs refused to relent.
He then adjourned the House till 2 pm.
A host of opposition leaders including Congress Ghulam Nabi Azad, Samajwadi Party's Naresh Agarwal and Trinamool Congress' Sukhendu Shekhar Roy had given notice to discuss the PNB scam under Rule 267 by suspending all the listed business for the day.
From the BJP side, Vinay Sahasrabuddhe had given 267 notice to discuss about relatives of former Union Ministers found indulged in scams.
The Chair rejected both sides' notices and asked them to raise the issues under other relevant rules.
