Disruptions rock Lok Sabha again

​New Delhi: The Lok Sabha was on Thursday adjourned for the day as members of the TDP and AIADMK continued to disrupt proceedings despite the Speaker suspending 21 more MPs for unruly behaviour on Wednesday. With the House unable to transact business due to ruckus by the two parties, Speaker Sumitra Mahajan ordered the suspension of the 21 members, including 14 of the TDP and seven of AIADMK. 

The development came a day after 24 AIADMK members were suspended for the rest of the session for disrupting proceedings. As the House met on Thursday, TDP and AIADMK members trooped in the Well, raising slogans and carrying banners demanding special state status to Andhra Pradesh and stalling of a dam on river Cauvery, respectively. The AIADMK members flung papers towards the chair several times. 

Amid the ruckus, Parliamentary Affairs Minister Narendra Singh Tomar appealed to the agitating MPs to return to their seats. However, protests by the unrelenting members of the two southern parties continued. At this, the Speaker initially warned that she would be forced to name the unruly members and take action against them. 

"I warn you, I will take you names. You have come to the Well and are persistently creating trouble," she said. As the members refused to budge, the Speaker suspended 12 TDP MPs and seven AIADMK members under Rule 374(A) of Lok Sabha proceedings for the next four sittings of the House.

Among the suspended MPs were former Civil Aviation Minister Ashok Gajapathi Raju (TDP), Thota Narasimham (TDP) and Renuka Butta (unattached) who had won on a YSR Congress ticket. Soon after the House met again at 2 pm, the suspended members of AIADMK and TDP trooped into the Well of the House continuing their protest and shouting slogans. Two more TDP members P Ravindra Babu and Kesineni Srinivas were also suspended from the Lok Sabha for unruly behaviour.

Referring to the protesting members, the Speaker said they have come to the Well of the house and have obstructed the proceedings of the house. The AIADMK has 37 members and TDP has 15 members in the Lok Sabha. Two questions were taken up during the Question Hour even as the members continued to shout slogans. Members from the Congress wanted to raise the Sabarimala issue and Mahajan told them that the matter can be raised later. The Speaker subsequently adjourned the House till 2 pm after conducting business for nearly 15 minutes during the Zero Hour.