New Delhi, Sep 2 (IANS) The Rajya Sabha was adjourned for the day Friday after Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) members raised slogans alleging ?violation of constitution? by the Gujarat governor in appointing the Lokayukta without consulting the state government.
As the house met at 2.30 p.m. following four adjournments on the issue earlier, BJP members came near the podium of the chairman raising slogans against the appointment of retired judge R.A. Mehta as Lokayukta by Governor Kamla Beniwal.
P.J. Kurien, who was in the chair, urged BJP members to resume their seats but they did not relent.
Trying to be heard in the din raised by BJP members, Human Resource Development Minister Kapil Sibal accused the party of ?double standards?. He said the party had allowed the Lok Sabha to resume normal functioning but was stalling proceedings in the Rajya Sabha.
Sibal said the opposition party had already made its point by giving a memorandum to President Pratibha Patil.
The minister said vital legislations relating to the education sector were pending and ?obstructions? to house proceedings by the BJP were hurting the prospects of students.
As the BJP members kept raising slogans, the chair adjourned the house for the day.
The first adjournment came as the house took up question hour after the government clarifications on elections to the Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee (SGPC). BJP MPs created a din on the issue, saying it was a violation of the country’s federal structure.
Chairman Hamid Ansari first adjourned the house for 15 minutes, then till noon, then for 15 more minutes. The chair later adjourned the house till 2.30 p.m.
Gujarat Chief Minister Narendra Modi Thursday wrote to Prime Minister Manmohan Singh on the issue. The Gujarat government has challenged the decision in the high court. The post had been lying vacant for seven years.
