2G scam: Both houses of parliament adjourned

NEW DELHI - The Rajya Sabha was adjourned for the day Thursday and Lok Sabha till noon after the opposition disrupted proceedings and demanded a joint parliamentary committee (JPC) probe into the 2G spectrum scam and other raging scandals.

While Speaker Meira Kumar adjourned the Lok Sabha just a minute after the house assembled, Deputy Chairman K. Rahman Khan adjourned the Rajya Sabha for the day three minutes after it met.

Many opposition members in the Lok Sabha moved towards the speaker’s podium and raised slogans. Many others stood at their positions holding placards saying “We want JPC to probe scandals” and “We want justice”.

Besides members belonging to the National Democratic Alliance (NDA), those from the Left parties and the Samajwadi Party also actively participated in the protests.

The Rajya Sabha witnessed similar scenes with the opposition members raising slogans for the JPC. As the protests continued, Khan adjourned the house for the day.

This is the fifth day of adjournments in parliament triggered by protests against corruption in 2G spectrum allotment, Commonwealth Games and Mumbai’s Adarsh housing society.

Practically no business has been transacted in the six days of the ongoing winter session that began Nov 9.

However, amid protests, the government tabled the Comptroller and Auditor General (CAG) report on the 2G spectrum allotment in both the houses Tuesday.

Ahead of the CAG report, communications minister A. Raja resigned Sunday night. The CAG report majorly indicted Raja and said he “arbitrarily” functioned, causing a revenue loss of Rs.1.76 lakh crore to the public exchequer.

However, the tabling of the CAG report has not pacified the opposition, which is demanding a JPC probe into the 2G scam and other corruption scandals.