NE NEWS SERVICE
NEW DELHI, SEPT 18
Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla asked Parliamentary Affairs Minister Pralhad Joshi on Friday to inform him in advance if a Union minister remains absent, despite his or her name being mentioned in the agenda for tabling papers in the House.
The directive came after the speaker called Union Minister of State for Food Processing Industries Rameswar Teli’s name for tabling certain papers in the House.
As Teli was not present, Union Minister of State for Parliamentary Affairs Arjun Ram Meghwal tabled the papers in the House on his behalf.
The speaker told the parliamentary affairs minister that there was a similar situation on Thursday too when he called a minister to table some papers, but the minister was not present in the House.
“For some unavoidable reasons, a minister may remain absent. But please inform me in advance in the future. We can take up the matter the next day,” Birla said.
Lok Sabha adjourns twice amid Opposition ruckus
Lok Sabha proceedings were adjourned till 5 pm on Friday following ruckus by the Opposition over certain remarks by BJP members.
The ruckus happened during the introduction of the Taxation and Other Laws (Relaxation and Amendment of Certain Provisions) Bill, 2020.
After speaking for some time, Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman said that her deputy Anurag Singh Thakur will talk about PM-CARES Fund.
Opposition members raised concerns about the fund and while speaking, Thakur alleged that the Congress had misused the PM Relief Fund.
His remarks triggered protests from Congress members. Later, Congress members walked out of the House.
Speaker Om Birla warned members against standing up and speaking, saying that then they would be suspended from the House.
Trinamool Congress member Kalyan Banerjee protested against certain remarks by BJP member Locket Chaterjee.
As the ruckus continued, Birla adjourned the proceedings for 30 minutes till 4.20 pm. After the House reassembled, there was uproar again and the Speaker adjourned it till 5 pm.
