Rafale deal, Ram temple and Cauvery issues rock Parliament; LS, RS adjourned for the day

Both Rajya Sabha and Lok Sabha were adjourned on the third day of functioning on Thursday, December 13, by noon after the Opposition parties and NDA allies protested about the alleges corruption in the Rafale deal, Cauvery river water issue and Ram temple.

As soon as the Question Hour began after paying tributes to martyrs of the 2001 Parliament attack, members from the Congress, TDP and AIADMK rushed to the well raising slogans in the Lok Sabha. Demanding a law on construction of Ram temple in Ayodhya, Shiv Sena members were seen holding placards in the aisle.

TDP member Venkateswara Rao (Babu) used a mike installed in the Well for the oath of a new member to prop up a poster seeking special status for Andhra Pradesh.

A Lok Sabha secretariat staffer tried to convince him not to use the mike. Parliamentary Affairs Minister Narendra Singh Tomar too tried to convince him to keep down the mike. The TDP member's action invited the ire of Speaker Sumitra Mahajan who warned him that he will be named.

Once a member is named, he or she has to leave the House chamber.

The Speaker then adjourned the House for nearly 10 minutes till 11.20 am. When the House assembled again, Mahajan reminded the members that they can raise issues under various rules.

Apparently referring to the Lok Sabha polls due in 2019, she said it was a "crucial time" and members should use it to raise issues related to the public.

She said Lok Sabha is for all states and regions and all should get a chance to raise their respective issues. But opposition members remained unconvinced and returned to the Well.

During the zero hour, NDA ally Shiv Sena on Thursday, December 13, raised the controversial Ram temple issue in the Lok Sabha and demanded that the government bring an ordinance to pave the way for its construction in Ayodhya.

Shiv Sena's Anand Rao Adsul also reminded the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) about its promise on Ram temple made in the 2014 election manifesto.

"The government should take initiative to bring an ordinance and pave the way for construction of Ram temple at Ayodhya before the next general elections," he said. adding further he said that ,"our alliance with BJP is based on Hindutva but it seems the BJP has forgotten it," he said.

Soon after the House met after two brief adjournments during Question Hour, Lok Sabha Speaker Sumitra Mahajan allowed the Shiv Sena leader to raise the issue. As the bedlam continued, the House was adjourned for nearly 30 minutes till noon.

The Cauvery river issue also caused disruptions in the Rajya Sabha and no transaction could take place as Tamil Nadu parties raised the issue.

Similarly, as soon as the House paid its respects to the nine persons who laid down their lives 17 years ago when there was a terror attack on the Parliament House, members belonging to the AIADMK and DMK trooped into the well of the House shouting slogans, “Protect the Right of Tamil Nadu”.

A couple of members from Andhra Pradesh too were in the well demanding special status for the state.

Chairman M Venkaiah Naidu warned that he would be forced to adjourn the proceedings for the day if members did not return to their seats and allow the House to function.

"I would like to urge members to at least allow the House today... 9 persons had laid down their lives to protect Parliament. Wrong message will go," he said.

He said discussion on all issues including on Cauvery river issue will be allowed.

As his repeated pleas to members to allow the House to function fell on deaf years, he adjourned the proceedings till Friday, December 12.