Another day of washout in Parliament over Rahul Gandhi remarks

New Delhi: Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha adjourned for the day after uproar by ruling party and opposition members over Rahul Gandhi's democracy remarks.

This is the fifth consecutive day that the Parliament has been adjourned without transacting any business since the second part of the Budget session began on Monday due to uproarious scenes in the House.

As soon as the Lok Sabha assembled for the day, some Congress members trooped to the Well of the House shouting slogans and demanded that Gandhi be allowed to speak in the House.

They also demanded a joint parliamentary committee (JPC) probe into alleged stock manipulation by the Adani Group, a business conglomerate headed by industrialist Gautam Adani.

The members of the treasury benches also raised counter-slogans from their seats, demanding an apology from Gandhi for his remarks.

The turmoil continued for about 20 minutes, with Speaker Om Birla urging the members to allow the House to function smoothly.

"Honourable members, I appeal to you to allow the House to run smoothly. People did not send you here to do this. I will give everyone an opportunity to speak, but the House has to be in order," he said. The protesting members ignored his pleas and the speaker adjourned the House for the day. It will meet again on March 20.

Congress leaders Rahul Gandhi, Sonia Gandhi, Defence Minister Rajnath Singh and several other Union ministers were present in the House.

During his interactions in London, Rahul Gandhi had alleged that the structures of Indian democracy are under attack and there is a "full-scale assault" on the country's institutions.

The remarks triggered a political slugfest, with the Bharatiya Janata Party accusing Gandhi of maligning India on foreign soil and seeking foreign interventions, and the Congress hitting back at the ruling party by citing instances of Prime Minister Narendra Modi raising internal politics abroad.

Rajya Sabha too was adjourned till March 20 on Friday, minutes after the House convened as opposition and ruling party members created an uproar. While the Opposition has been demanding a discussion and a joint parliamentary committee (JPC) probe into the Adani issue, BJP members are demanding an apology from Congress leader Rahul Gandhi for his "democracy under threat" remarks made in London recently.

Soon after the listing of papers, Chairman Jagdeep Dhankhar said he had received 11 adjournment notices under Rule 267 but disallowed them.

"After carefully going through the issues, the notices, I find, cannot be allowed," he said. Thereafter, Leader of Opposition Mallikarjun Kharge sought to speak but was not allowed, causing Congress and other party members to create an uproar.

Members of the treasury benches also stood up in protest. Taking up the point of order by Kharge, the chairman directed Leader of the House Piyush Goyal to authenticate the assertions made on March 13 and 14.

"With respect to the point of order raised by the Leader Of Opposition, I find it expedient to direct the leader of the House to authenticate the assertions made by him on March 13 and 14 on the issue during the course of the day," Dhankhar said.

Amid slogan shouting, the chairman adjourned the House till Monday.