BUDGET SESSION

TDP MPs continue protests, Houses adjourned till noon

Lok Sabha was adjourned minutes after it was convened on Friday

TDP MPs at a protest demanding special package for Andhra Pradesh TDP MPs at a protest demanding special package for Andhra Pradesh | PTI

Both the houses of Parliament were adjourned till noon on Friday after protests from TDP members over the issue of budgetary allocation for Andhra Pradesh.

The Lok Sabha was adjourned minutes after it was convened today. Speaker Sumitra Mahajan straightway took up the Question House as the proceedings commenced. Soon members of the TDP crowded the Well raising slogans. "This cannot happen everyday," the speaker told the protesting members.

However, they did not relent following which the speaker adjourned the House till noon. 

The case was no different in the Upper House, too. No sooner had listed papers been laid on the table, KVP Ramachandra Rao (Cong) walked into the Well of the House holding a banner that read: "Implement Special Category Status, Andhra Pradesh Reorganisation Act, assurance given by PM on 20.02.2014." TDP members soon followed him into the Well raising slogans like "we want justice."

Chairman M. Venkaiah Naidu asked members to return to their seats so that the zero hour could be taken up.

With members refusing to heed to his requests, Naidu said he had two options before him—adjourn the house or name the MPs.

Derek O'Brien (TMC) urged the chair to take action against the MPs so that zero hour and further discussion on the Budget could take place.

Satyavrat Chaturvedi (Cong), too, urged Naidu to take action so that zero hour could be taken up.

Naidu, however, adjourned the proceedings till 12 noon. 

The TDP has been on a fall out with the NDA government following the Union Budget that had nothing for the state and have been protesting over it.

The NDA ally had on Thursday made it clear that it will continue its protest until its demand of special category status to Andhra Pradesh is accorded at the earliest. Finance Minister Arun Jaitley had then assured the agitating members that the Centre is looking at all issues concerning the state sympathetically and some decision on a special package and revenue deficit will be worked out in the next couple of days.

The House will break for a recess today.