india

Updated: Jan 02, 2019 23:57 IST

Lok Sabha Speaker Sumitra Mahajan suspended 24 members of the All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (AIADMK) for next five sittings for repeatedly disturbing the House on Wednesday.

In the Rajya Sabha, chairman M Venkaiah Naidu asked 13 members of the AIADMK and the Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK) to leave the House for disturbing the house as well.

Both houses were disturbed over the Cauvery issue that relates to the distribution of the river water between Karnataka and Tamil Naidu. The Lok Sabha saw at least four adjournments during the day with slogan-shouting AIADMK members protesting in the well of the House.

In the evening, placard-carrying AIADMK members again trooped into the well with some flinging torn pieces of papers towards the table where Lok Sabha secretariat officials sit during proceedings. The AIADMK has 37 members in Lok Sabha.

A visibly disturbed Mahajan suspended 24 members of AIADMK under rule 374 (A) that allows Lok Sabha speaker to suspend members for disturbing the house and causing disorder by a member coming into the Well of the House or for disregarding the rules. Those suspended include K Ashok Kumar, RK Bharathi Mohan, M Chandrakasi, Jayakumar Jayavardhan, P Nagarajan among others.

Earlier, the Rajya Sabha chairman ordered members of AIDMK and DMK to leave the House for the day when they continued to protest in the Well over the Cauvery issue. Naidu invoked Rule 255 – that allows the Chairman to direct any member whose conduct, in his opinion, is disorderly.

“The country is being shamed, Our parliamentary system is being shamed,” Naidu said urging members to allow the house to function.“Please cooperate to see that this House functions in a meaningful manner for the remaining days and pass some resolutions. Issues cannot be dictated,” he said. After repeated disruptions in the morning, water resources minister Nitin Gadkari was asked to assure the house as a means to end the deadlock. Naidu informed the house that the minister had been called to the House. Protesting members of the House, however, continued their protest in the Well, with four DMK members also joining to associate with them.The Upper House that was to consider a motion for imposing President Rule in Jammu and Kashmir was finally adjourned for the day after lunch. And, although Home Minister Rajnath Singh moved the motion to discuss the imposition of Presidents Rule in Jammu and Kashmir it wasn’t discussed.

Those asked to withdraw from the house include Tiruch Siva, Kanimozhi, TKS Elangovan, A Navaneethakrishnan, Muthukaruppan, N Gokulakrishnan, AK Selvaraj, Dr R Lakshmanan, Vijila Sathyananth among others.