New Delhi, Sep 2 (IANS) The Rajya Sabha was repeatedly adjourned Friday as the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) raised the issue of Gujarat Governor Kamla Beniwal appointing a Lokayukta without consulting the state government.
The house was adjourned four times on the issue with BJP MPs raising slogans and calling the appointment of the Lokayukta in Gujarat a violation of the constitution.
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 another 15 minutes. It was finally adjourned till 2.30 p.m. by the chair, P.J. Kurien, when the BJP members persisted with their protest, gathering near his podium and raising slogans.
A delegation led by senior BJP leader L.K. Advani is scheduled to meet President Pratibha Patil later in the afternoon.
The BJP, which is the ruling party in Gujarat, has been upset over the controversial appointment of the Lokayukta in the state by the governor, bypassing the state government.
Gujarat Chief Minister Narendra Modi Thursday wrote to Prime Minister Manmohan Singh on the issue.
Beniwal had last week appointed retired judge Justice R.A. Mehta as the state Lokayukta. The Gujarat government has challenged the decision in the high court. The post was lying vacant for the past seven years.
