The Lok Sabha has been adjourned till 2 pm. After the House met after the first adjournment at 11.30, Congress members continued to raise slogans in the well of the House against the government in National Herald newspaper case. After the Question Hour over, minister of state for Parliamentary affairs, Rajiv Pratap Rudy wondered what matter the Congress members are raising in the House.
Speaker sumitra Mahajan also appealed to the agitating members to go back to their seats and tell what the matter is. Unrelented members shouted slogans in the well of the House forcing the chair to adjourn the House till 2 pm.
The Rajya Sabha was adjourned twice till noon today on the National Herald newspaper issue. When the House met at 11:30, Congress members again trooped into the well of the House shouting slogans against the government. Naresh Agarwal of the Samajwadi Party accused the Centre of taking political revenge against Uttar Pradesh government. Amidst din, Deputy Chairman Prof. P J Kurien adjourned the House till noon.
When the Lok Sabha re-assembled at 3 PM, Congress members rushed to the well raising slogans. Sudip Bandyopadhyaya of the Trinamool Congress said all the opposition parties are with Congress on the issue of political vendetta. He alleged that the opposition is being targeted and harassed by the NDA government.
Responding to this, Minister of State for Parliamentary Affairs Rajiv Pratap Rudy dismissed the allegation and said that if a Court has taken cognizance on some issue, how can the government vindicate the opposition. Supporting him Law Minister D V Sadananda Gowda said, if any member feels aggrieved, he may tell the House. As the Congress members continued to protest, Deputy Speaker M. Thambidurai adjourned the House for the day.
The situation was not different in the Rajya Sabha. When it reassembled at 3 PM, Leader of Opposition Ghulam Nabi Azad accused the government of resorting to political vendetta. He alleged that the government is targeting opposition leaders in order to make opposition-free India.
Dismissing the allegation, Leader of the House and Finance Minister Arun Jaitley said his government has not taken any action against the opposition leaders. He said it is a serious issue related to Congress leaders and the government has not issued summons. He advised the Congress to approach the judiciary for resolving the issue and let Parliament take up its business. Mr Jaitley also said that the government is ready for a discussion on the allegations of political vendetta. As the noisy scenes prevailed, Deputy Chairman Prof. P J Kurien adjourned the House.