New Delhi, March 11 The Rajya Sabha was adjourned for the day on Wednesday after members refused to hold discussion over two important financial Bills tabled in the House in the second half.
Leader of the Opposition Ghulam Nabi Azad suggested that the Deputy Chairman should adjourn the House as the important Bills related to bank insolvency and mines and minerals were not laid down in the list of the business in the morning.
"Sensing the members' concern, the House remains adjourned till Thursday morning," Harivansh Narayan Singh, the Deputy Chairman of Rajya Sabha said.
Earlier in the second half of the day, the House was adjourned thrice, once for half an hour and twice for 15 minutes.
When the House resumed after 2 p.m., External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar gave a statement over steps taken to bring back stranded Ind in coronavirus-affected Iran and other countries.
Thereafter the members raised their concerns which Jaishankar assured that the government would take all possible measures.
Immediately after that Deputy Speaker said, "Two important Bills are before us and need to be cleared. If ordinances lapse it would be a Constitutional crisis."
Reacting to it, All India Trinamool Congress (TMC) member Derek O'Brien said, "If this was so important than why was it not listed in the list of business in the morning. You want opposition to cooperate? You don't do your homework. Why could it not be listed in the morning? It has come here listed 10 minutes past 2 p.m. as supplementary business. Why could they not follow the basic rules of parliamentary democracy?"
Azad also said they are important ordinances. "If they lapse, ordinances cannot be brought once again in between the session," he said.
But he pointed out that five days ago it was decided that Delhi riots would be discussed on Wednesday. "On that no discussion happened on that day. This was not in today's business also. It came in the afternoon. After this also we want that ordinance is passed. You have to give 24 hours," he said.
Azad said there is enough time if the Bill is taken up on Thursday morning at 11 a.m. and thereafter at 2 p.m. the House can discuss the Delhi riots.
To this, Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman said "Indeed very grateful to Azad saab. We also take cognisance of Derek O'Brien's words that why didn't we put it up earlier in the list of business. I want to humbly submit that these Bills are important."
The House was adjourned till 3:10 p.m. The House then started only to be adjourned for 15 minutes more.
Then again the House was adjourned for 15 minutes. Finally, the Deputy Chairman adjourned the House after members expressed their consent to take up the Bills on Thursday.
In the first half of the day, the House was adjourned over Delhi riots and the ban on Kerala-based news channels.
( With inputs from IANS )