rajya sabhaProtests by Congress and other opposition parties on Arunachal Pradesh Governor summoning state assembly led to repeated adjournments of the Rajya Sabha for the second day today. The House failed to transact any legislative business. When the House re-assembled at 3 PM after the third adjournment, Social Justice and Empowerment Minister Thaawar Chand Gehlot pleaded with the agitating members to pass the Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities) Amendment Bill, 2015. He also highlighted the key features of the proposed legislation but members remained in the well raising slogans.

Deputy Chairman Prof. P J Kurien also tried to prevail upon the Congress members to pass the bill which is not controversial. The members did not pay heed to the repeated appeals by the Chair. Prof Kurien adjourned the House for the day. Earlier, Parliamentary Affairs Minister M Venkaiah Naidu said the Governor’s conduct cannot be discussed in Parliament.

Responding to uproar by Opposition Congress in the Rajya Sabha today on political developments in Arunachal Pradesh, Mr Naidu said that the state governor is acting according to Constitution. He said in-fighting in Congress in Arunachal Pradesh is the main cause of the problem.