We are meeting, greeting and adjourning: RS chairman Venkaiah Naidu slams MPs

The Rajya Sabha today witnessed an abrupt adjournment following a brief argument between Chairman M Venkaiah Naidu and some Congress members soon after the House assembled for the day.

After tabling of the listed papers, Naidu expressed his anguish saying the House has not functioned ever since it resumed on March 5 after recess during the Budget session.

Before adjourning the House till 2.30 PM, Naidu said there were larger issues like banking scam, Cauvery river water sharing, demand for a special package to Andhra Pradesh and sealing in the national capital, which were agitating the minds of people and needed to be discussed.

He said notices have been given by members on these issues and he has agreed for a discussion on them but yet the House was not taking up the debate.Naidu hoped that the House would function normally from next week and have constructive debate.

"I am very much pained that the Upper House of Parliament is not able to transact its business for last two weeks.Don't test my patience...We are meeting, greeting and not doing anything and adjourning," the Chairman said.

In the backdrop of repeated adjournments of the House with protesting members trooping into the Well, raising slogans and some even carrying placards, Naidu said issues cannot be decided physically as at the end of the day "we have to go by consensus or by the majority of the House." "You can't dictate something and say whether you go my way or the highway. That is no way, I must tell you," he said, adding that the Chair would not allow such a thing.

Naidu appealed to members to ensure smooth functioning of the House before "I take extreme views".As he was making the appeal, Congress member Satyabrat Chaturvedi stood up and said he agreed with the Chair, but sought to know whether it was for the first time that he is witnessing such a scenario in Parliament.

To this, Naidu asked if somebody committed a mistake in the past, does it mean that he should also do the same."Do you want this sort of a thing to continue? ... Is that your suggestion. This is your party view," he said.

As some other Congress members were on their feet trying to join the issue simultaneously, Naidu adjourned the House till 2.30 PM.