Opposition boycotts Rajya Sabha proceedings, say their voices are being muzzled

A group of Opposition parties—Congress, TMC, NCP, DMK, Samajwadi Party, CPI-M, CPI and AAP—on Tuesday boycotted the proceedings of Rajya Sabha, alleging that their voice was being "muzzled".

Members of the parties stayed away from the House when the proceedings resumed at 3 PM after two adjournments during the day.

"The voice of the opposition is being muzzled outside and we do not want this to happen with the opposition parties inside the House. Which is why we wanted to raise this issue since morning and which is why we have boycotted the House for the whole day," Leader of Opposition in Rajya Sabha Ghulam Nabi Azad told reporters. Azad alleged that various issues were meant to be raised during Zero Hour, but the moment MPs got up to raise these issues, the House was adjourned till 2 pm.

"The framers of rules have provided that should anything of national importance happen between the previous day and this morning, we are supposed to raise that particular issue. We are not intruding into Question Hour or government business. What we want is provided in the rules. Unfortunately, for the last one week, we are not allowed to make use of rules," he said.

Rajya Sabha was adjourned till 2 pmon Tuesday after TMC members sought to raise issues concerning the state. Yesterday too, the House was adjourned till 2 PM after Samajwadi Party members raised slogans in the well over the alleged encounter killings by the police in Uttar Pradesh. Members of the Aam Aadmi Party AAP too were in the well, apparently raising the issue of sealing of commercial establishments in Delhi.