The Lok Sabha was not able to carry out its listed business on Tuesday as the Opposition continued its protests over various issues such as Telangana, the removal of Justice (retired) A.K. Ganguly from the chairmanship the West Bengal Human Rights Commission for his alleged involvement in a sexual harassment case and training of Sri Lankan naval personnel in India.
Amid the din, Speaker Meira Kumar unsuccessfully tried to seek the House’s consent on the notice for the “no confidence motion” — as sought by some Congress, YSR Congress and TDP members from Seemandhra — against the UPA government for bifurcating Andhra Pradesh.
It was Ms. Kumar’s fifth unsuccessful attempt at taking up this motion. “I have received a notice of Motion of No-Confidence in the Council of Ministers from … which I am duty bound to bring before the House. Unless the House is in order, I will not be in a position to count the 50 Members who have to stand in their assigned places so that I can ascertain as to whether the leave has been granted or not. Therefore, I request all of you to go back to your seats so that I can count 50 Members,” she said.
But as the protesting members did not relent, she said: “Please go back to your seats … Since the House is not in order, I will not be able to bring the notice before the House.”
Earlier, the House could not take up the question hour due to protests by the Opposition and had to be adjourned till noon. When it reassembled again, Trinamool Congress member Saugata Roy sought the removal of Justice (retd.) A.K. Ganguly. Even as the pandemonium continued, his party colleagues rushed to the well of the House, seeking the retired Supreme Court judge’s immediate removal from the chairmanship of West Bengal Human Rights Commission.
YSRC member Y.S. Jaganmohan Reddy too rushed to the well along with his two of his party colleagues, seeking continuation of a united Andhra Pradesh. He even sat on the well for some time along with his party MPs. Samajwadi Party members also stormed the well at one point, demanding government action against repeated incursion into Indian territory by China. AIADMK members protested against the government’s decision to train Sri Lankan naval personnel in India.
Earlier, amid the chaos Tribal Affairs Minister V. Kishore Chandra Deo introduced a constitution amendment Bill to get Narikoravan community, grouped with Kurivikkaran community from Tamil Nadu, and Dhanuhar and Dhanuwar communities from Chhattisgarh listed as Scheduled Tribes.