Ruckus in Lok Sabha as Opposition protest over Kashmir issue; Shiv Sena stages walkout

New Delhi: Winter session of Parliament got off to a stormy start as the Opposition looked to corner the Government over the situation in Kashmir, this morning.

MPs from the Congress, National Conference and the DMK protested in the well of the House against the instability in the Valley more than 100 days after the abrogation of Article 370.

Congress leader in Lok Sabha Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury said, “It has been 108 days today since Farooq Abdullah was detained. What is this torture? We want that he should be brought to Parliament. It is his Constitutional Right.” 

Chowdhury also raised the issue of SPG cover being withdrawn to AICC Interim President Sonia Gandhi, former AICC President Rahul Gandhi and Priyanka Gandhi Vadra. Opposition MPs also raised slogans in the well of the House demanding the release of National Conference President and MP Farooq Abdullah from preventive detention in Jammu and Kashmir. 

MPs from Shiv Sena were seen seated in the Treasury benches of the Lok Sabha. It may be recalled that the party snapped ties with BJP, their longest ally, after differences arose post Maharashtra Assembly Polls. Shiv Sena MPs also staged a walkout of Lok Sabha protesting over persisting farmers’ distress in Maharashtra. 

Rajya Sabha adjourned

Meanwhile, the first day of 250th session of Rajya Sabha was adjourned till 2 pm after obituary references. The Upper House paid tributes to former Finance Minister Arun Jaitley, former External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj and former MP and noted advocate Ram Jethmalani.

Important Bills are expected to be tabled during 26-day long winter session of the Parliament which include Citizenship (Amendment) Bill 2019, Personal Data Protection Bill 2019, Anti Maritime Piracy Bill 2019 and Transgender Persons (Protection of Rights) Bill 2019.  Prime Minister Narendra Modi was also scheduled to address Rajya Sabha at 2pm on the occasion of its 250th session.