Speaker angry over disorder in LS, adjourns House till noon

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Angered over unruly behaviour of some members on the farmers' issue, Speaker Meira Kumar on Wednesday adjourned the Lok Sabha till noon.

Soon after she had called for Question Hour, TDP members rushed to the Well demanding better Minimum Support Price for cotton farmers. Members of Left parties also supported them by raising slogans.

The slogan shouting continued for sometime as the Speaker went ahead with the Question Hour. When the protests became shrill, Kumar stood up and asked members to return to their seats and show some courtesy to the Chair.

"Don't you have any Parliamentary courtesy left? You stand and I will also stand," she said.

TDP and Left members continued to raise their demand vociferously, which also led to some heated exchanges between them and some Congress members.

The TDP and Left members were demanding setting up of a Joint Parliamentary Committee on farmers' issue as suggested by the government in the Rajya Sabha.

Attempts by Parliamentary Affairs Minister P. K. Bansal and Minister of State in PMO V. Narayanasamy to pacify TDP members did no good.

The Speaker's repeated appeals to agitating members to give notice to speak on the issue did not get any response.

"Go and sit. Observe courtesy. Speaker is standing," she said.

In the melee, Bansal was heard saying 66 per cent of the total time of the House was lost due to disruptions.

"Today is the last day of Question Hour. I am very sorry to adjourn the House till 1200 hours," said an angry Speaker, who was on her feet for over 10 minutes trying to restore order.