By IANS
New Delhi : Opposition parties stalled the proceedings of the Rajya Sabha Friday, protesting the United Progressive Alliance (UPA)-Left committee to study the Indo-US nuclear deal, leading to successive adjournments of the house.
Members of the National Democratic Alliance (NDA) and the United National Progressive Alliance (UNPA) disrupted the upper house during question hour and again during zero hour.
As soon as question hour began, NDA and UNPA members were on their feet demanding the creation of a joint parliamentary committee (JPC) on the nuclear agreement and opposing the Left-UPA experts committee.
Opposition leaders rushed towards the chairman’s podium, raising slogans like “We want JPC!”, “JPC lao, desh Bachao!” (Constitute a JPC, Save the nation!).
Some members remarked that the nuclear deal was not “a family affair”, that it concerned the entire nation and therefore nothing short of a JPC would satisfy them.
The chaos forced Chairman Hamid Ansari to adjourn the house till 12 noon.
The Rajya Sabha reassembled at noon, only to adjourn again soon after. But this time deputy chairman K. Rahman Khan managed to get the papers laid and called out the names of members who wanted matters raised during zero hour. The house was then adjourned for another half hour.
But there were disorderly scenes even at 12.30 p.m. and the house was adjourned again till 2.30 p.m.