New Delhi, Aug 12 (IANS): The Rajya Sabha faced repeated disruptions on Wednesday with a continued logjam over former IPL chief Lalit Modi controversy and the Vyapam case, following which it was adjourned till 2 p.m.
However, a section in the opposition asked the government to start a debate with voting provisions over the issues.
As the house met on the second last day of the monsoon session, Deputy Chairman P.J. Kurien said he was disallowing the notice on the issue because despite allowing it on several previous occasions, the debate was never taken up.
Congress leader Anand Sharma said: "Unless the prime minister replies, each notice should be treated as a fresh one."
Kurien responded: "I am ready to allow a discussion, are you ready to move the motion?"
Congress leaders then said they will not start the debate unless Prime Minister Narendra Modi is present in the house.
Janata Dal-United leader Sharad Yadav said the "capitalists" after 68 years of independence are saying that parliament should run.
"They must know 125 crore Indians have chosen the parliament... They want to run the parliament," he asked.
Leader of House Arun Jaitley questioned if the common man wants parliament not to function.
As the Congress members created a ruckus, the house was adjourned till noon. But the situation remained the same when the house met again.
Leader of Opposition Ghulam Nabi Azad supported Yadav and said: "We discuss it everyday the comments that are being made about MPs. Now the industrialists are saying house should function... The government is using media and businessmen against opposition," said Azad.
Communist Party of India-Marxist (CPI-M) leader Sitaram Yechury then said that the Lok Sabha has decided to debate the issues followed by voting, and asked the government to do the same in the upper house.
"If businessmen want the house to function it is good but they must not interfere. (The) other house is having a debate with voting, lets do the same here, have a debate followed by voting," he said.
As Congress members created an uproar, Chairman M. Hamid Ansari adjourned the house till 2 p.m.