Opposition Stalls Parliament, Says Democracy ‘Murdered’ in Maharashtra

New Delhi: Proceedings in Rajya Sabha and Lok Sabha came to a halt till afternoon on Monday after Opposition uproar on the political developments in Maharashtra.

In Rajya Sabha, Congress and other Opposition parties stalled functioning of the House over developments in Maharashtra, while in Lok Sabha Congress members stormed the well carrying placards to protest the swearing-in of a Bharatiya Janata Party-led government in the state, leading to adjournment of House proceedings till noon.

Congress leader Rahul Gandhi said “democracy has been murdered” in Maharashtra.

In the Upper House, Congress, Left, DMK and other Opposition members were on their feet shouting anti-BJP slogans after Chairman M Venkaiah Naidu rejected notices by Opposition members under Rule 267 seeking setting aside of the business to take up the issue.

Naidu barred any comments made by opposition members to go on record but allowed Union Minister Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi who made a statement instead of raising a point of order.

But an unrelenting opposition continued shouting slogans, leading to Naidu adjourning proceedings till 2 pm.

After listed papers were laid on the table of the House, opposition MPs were up on their feet raising slogans like "murder of democracy" in Maharashtra where the governor in the wee hours of Saturday administered oath to Devendra Fadnavis as chief minister with NCP rebel Ajit Pawar as his deputy.

Naidu said he did not accept notices given by the Congress, DMK and Left members under Rule 267 as the matter was sub judice and conduct of a person in high office cannot be discussed without a substantive motion. The apex court is slated to announce a decision on the matter on Tuesday, according to reports.

He said the House can discuss President's rule being imposed or revoked in a state only when a motion to that effect is brought before it.

No such move is under consideration of the House, he said.

Naqvi said the Governor's decision can be discussed only through a substantive motion and no such motion has been brought by the opposition.

He alleged that the Congress, Shiv Sena and NCP were trying to "hijack" democracy in Maharashtra through "jugad".

He said Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) strongman Sharad Pawar risks getting run out on a slippery pitch.

In Lok Sabha, Congress members stormed the well carrying placards to protest the swearing-in of a BJP-led government in Maharashtra, leading to adjournment of House proceedings till noon.

Congress leader Rahul Gandhi said democracy has been murdered in Maharashtra.

Speaker Om Birla ordered the removal of two Congress members, Hibi Eden and T N Prathapan, who were holding a big banner with 'stop murder of democracy slogan - by marshals.

Intense protests by Congress members resisting their removal prompted the Speaker to adjourn the House till noon.

Earlier, Congress leader Rahul Gandhi said democracy had been murdered in Maharashtra.

He made these remarks during Question Hour when Speaker

Om Birla told him to ask a supplementary.

"There is no question of asking question (in Question Hour) today. Democracy has been murdered in Maharashtra," he said.

Government formation in Maharashtra has come under the Supreme Court's scrutiny with the Centre being asked to produce before the court letters of the Governor inviting Fadnavis as well as the communication of the BJP leader staking his claim.

After Fadnavis returned as the chief minister on Saturday, the Shiv Sena claimed that the Sena-NCP-Congress combine has a support of 165 MLAs and can comfortably prove its majority in the Assembly.

The BJP has claimed that Fadnavis had the support of 170 MLAs. The majority mark in a House of 288 is 145.