LS adjourned sine die
In an unprecedented move, an anguished Speaker Purno A Sangma abruptly adjourned the Lok Sabha sine die after Congress and DMK MPs continued to disrupt the House over the Jain Commission's interim report on Rajiv Gandhi's assassination.
The Congress has demanded that DMK ministers should be dropped from the Inder Kumar Gujral ministry.
In the morning, when the Lok Sabha assembled, Sangma adjourned it till 1400 hours after the Congress and DMK members refused to allow the proceedings to continue.
As soon as the Lok Sabha assembled for a second time after
Question Hour and other business were suspended, the
speaker tried to go through the listed business.
Congress members objected to this and demanded removal of the
DMK ministers from the United Front government. DMK MPs then demanded a discussion on the Justice Thakkar Commission report on Indira Gandhi's assassination.
Congress MPs members including Bhupendra Singh Hooda, Ajit Kumar Panja, Mrutunjay Nayak, Mamata Banerjee and Satyajitsinh Gaikwad were seen on
their feet, raising slogans.
Banerjee asked the speaker about the no-confidence notice given
by her against the Gujral government.
Ignoring them, Sangma called the ministers and members, as
listed in the business of the House, to lay papers and reports. The
Congress members objected to the transaction of business, saying they
would not allow the proceedings of the House till their demand
was accepted.
The Speaker said the Jain Commission's interim report along with the action taken report were tabled in the House by the government on November 20, 1997.
''This was in pursuance of the commitment given by the government at the all-party meeting which I held on November 18, 1997,'' Sangma said. ''Notices have also been received for discussing the reports. The business advisory committee has also decided that the House would discuss the report on November 25, 1997.
''In the meantime, the Congress has demanded that the DMK ministers
should be dropped from the government. They have made this demand on account of certain findings of the Jain Commission which, they have considered, as amounting to their indictment.
''In pursuance of the demand, the Congress members have shouted slogans and demonstrated in the House on November 20, 21 and today. Other Parliament members, including those in the treasury benches, have also indulged in slogan-shouting and demonstrations, rendering the transaction of business impossible.''
The Speaker said he understood the issue raised by the Congress
members was emotional. He respected their sentiments.
The DMK members's emotional response was also understandable, he added. But slogan-shouting and demonstrations had continued disrupting the business of the House.
It ''is a sad breach'' of the resolution adopted by Parliament in a special session from August 28 to September 1 to mark the golden jubilee celebrations of Independence, the Speaker said. The members had committed themselves to ensure orderly functioning of the House. But what happened in the current session of the Lok Sabha, which commenced on November 19, was ''a mindless mockery of the people who have returned this House and an appalling denigration of the institution of Parliament'', he said.
''I have, therefore, decided to adjourn the House sine die. The House stands adjourned sine die accordingly.''
The winter session of the Lok Sabha, which began on November 19,
was scheduled to last till December 19.
The turmoil in the Rajya Sabha forced two adjournments. As the
the House reassembled at 1200 hours after the first adjounment, lasting about 55 minutes, the Congress members were on their feet, shouting ''Rajiv Gandhi ke hatyaron ko door karo door karo (throw out his killers).''
The Congress members ignored several appeals made by Vice-President and Rajya Sabha Chairman Krishan, forcing the second adjournment of the House till 1100 hours tomorrow.
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