Parliament adjourned for second day over scams

NEW DELHI - Both houses of parliament were adjourned without even a minute of business being transacted for the second consecutive day Thursday as opposition parties again took up the issue of corruption and demanded a probe by a panel of MPs.

Ruling Congress MPs also protested near Speaker Meira Kumars podium against Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) leader K.S. Sudarshans remarks against Sonia Gandhi reported in a newspaper.

The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) members walked to her podium raising slogans to demand Telecom Minister A. Rajas ouster as soon as Meira Kumar, after an hour-long adjournment in the morning, resumed the Lok Sabha sitting at 12 p.m.

MPs from the AIADMK, Shiv Sena and the Communist Party of India-Marxist (CPI-M) joined the protests even as Left members were seen shouting slogans from their seats.

Congress MPs countered the BJP protests as some of them walked towards the podium shouting slogans against the RSS.

The din forced the speaker to adjourn the house till Monday morning as Friday is already an off day for parliament.

Similar scenes rocked the Rajya Sabha, where Congress members vehemently protested Sudarshan’s reported comment. The BJP and AIADMK members in the Rajya Sabha on the other hand demanded the dismissal of Raja because he has been “indicted” by the CAG for his role in 2G spectrum allocation.

Chairman Hamid Ansari repeatedly asked members to return to their seats amid the din. He then adjourned the upper house till Monday.

Similar protests Wednesday by opposition MPs demanding a joint parliamentary committee (JPC) probe into the 2G spectrum, Adarsh housing society and CWG corruption scandals had led to the house being adjourned for the day.

The government has ruled out debate on these issues, saying the housing scam related to the Maharashtra government, which would give its reply in the state assembly.