Lok Sabha adjourned till 4 p.m. on farm Bill protest in RS

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New Delhi, Sep 20 (IANS) The Lok Sabha was on Sunday adjourned till 4 p.m., following uproar in the Rajya Sabha after the upper House passed two agriculture-related Bills amid protests by opposition members.

In view of the pandemonium in the Rajya Sabha over the Farmers' Produce Trade and Commerce (Promotion and Facilitation) Bill, 2020, and the Farmers (Empowerment and Protection) Agreement on Price Assurance and Farm Services Bill, 2020, Congress leader in the House, Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury requested Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla to adjourn the lower house till the situation gets normal in the Rajya Sabha.

His request came as the Lok Sabha assembled for the day at 3 p.m.

"I request you to avoid Lok Sabha proceedings till the situation in the Rajya Sabha gets normal... As several Lok Sabha members have to use the upper house's chamber during lower house proceedings, the proceedings here should be deferred for a while. For maintaining social distancing and considering the safety of the PM during Covid-19 crisis, this is necessary," he urged the Speaker.

Birla, however, assured that he will manage sitting arrangements for the Lok Sabha members in the Visitors' Gallery, saying "if any MP will not get a seat in Lok Sabha chamber, I will adjourn the house".

As Chowdhury continued to request Birla to adjourn the House, the Speaker announced that the Lok Sabha proceedings will start after 4 p.m.

The Rajya Sabha witnessed unruly scenes when Trinamool Congress member Derek O'Brien went near the Chair and tried to snatch a mike while citing the rule book.

When his objections were overruled, an aggressive O'Brien tore the rule book and called the Agriculture Bills "Kala Kanoon" (black laws), leading to adjournment of the house for a brief period.

--IANS

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