By IANS
New Delhi : The Lok Sabha was adjourned twice Monday as opposition demands for constituting a joint parliamentary committee (JPC) on the India-US civilian nuclear deal stalled proceedings.
The house, which was first adjourned till 12 noon, was adjourned till 4 p.m. when it reconvened as opposition MPs refused to let the house function.
Before that, however, the government managed to secure approval for a bill to amend the Aircraft Act, 1934 with Civil Aviation Minister Praful Patel pushing the measure through.
Speaker Somnath Chatterjee and the entire house also congratulated the Indian hockey team for its resounding 7-2 victory over South Korea to win the Asia Cup.
“The team has done us proud,” the speaker said.
“Sir, hockey and football have done well despite their not being priority sports,” Parliamentary Affairs Minister Priya Ranjan Dasmunsi said.
India had last month won the Nehru Cup international football tournament for the first time. Dasmunsi is also the president of the All India Football Federation.
The din resumed as soon as the pleasantries were over, forcing Chatterjee to adjourn the house for a second time.
The opposition raised its demand for a JPC as soon as the Lok Sabha met. In the din, Dasmunsi was heard saying that the government could not form a JPC to discuss a bilateral agreement as the constitution did not provide for this.
V.K. Malhotra, deputy leader of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) in the house, countered that the opposition would not allow the house to function unless the JPC was constituted.
Chatterjee and Dasmunsi reminded members that a discussion on the nuclear deal was listed later in the day and that they could participate in this and raise their concerns.
The opposition, however, continued with its protests, forcing the speaker to adjourn the house for an hour.
In the Rajya Sabha too, slogan-shouting members refused to allow the chairman to conduct proceedings and the house was adjourned till noon.