Parliament adjourned again over JPC demand

NEW DELHI - An adamant opposition, demanding a joint parliamentary committee (JPC) probe into the controversial 2G spectrum allotment, forced yet another adjournment of the two houses Friday. There were no signs of a breakthrough to end the impasse that has paralysed parliament for the last three weeks.

This was the 16th sitting of the parliament’s winter session, which began Nov 9, when the crucial question hour had to be suspended due to heavy sloganeering and protests by opposition MPs in both the houses.

In the Lok Sabha, several opposition members rushed towards Speaker Meira Kumar’s podium as soon as it assembled at 11 a.m. Members raised slogans like “We want JPC”. This is exactly what the house has been witnessing for the last three weeks.

The speaker urged them to go back to their seats but they did not relent, forcing her to adjourn the house till 12 noon.

Similar scenes were witnessed in the Rajya Sabha, which was also adjourned till 12 noon by Chairman Hamid Ansari.