Kolkata episode echoes in Parliament, both Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha not allowed to function

New Delhi, Feb 4 (ANI) The face-off between the West Bengal government and the Centre echoed in Parliament which failed to function on Monday due to intense slogan-shouting and disruptions caused by various Opposition parties, particularly the Trinamool Congress.

Both the Lok Sabha and the Rajya Sabha saw trouble as soon as the Houses met for the first time after presentation of the interim Budget.

Due to the ruckus, both the Houses were prematurely adjourned for the day, without conducting any business.

In the Lok Sabha, Trinamool Congress leader Saugata Roy raised the issue of CBI team trying to arrest Kolkata Police Commissioner on Sunday.

Accusing the Centre of misusing the CBI, he said a team of the central investigative agency reached the Commissioner’s residence without any prior permission or order.

Roy said West Bengal Chief Minister and Trinamool Congress supremo Mamata Banerjee was on “satyagraha” to protest against the way the CBI was being used by the central government.

In the midst of noise, the House was adjourned for about 50 minutes till noon.

When the House reassembled, Speaker Sumitra Mahajan said she would allow the members to raise issues during the Zero Hour.

B Mahtab of BJD said the CBI was not functioning in a professional manner for the last about four months.

He used the occasion to flag a recent incident in Odisha, saying the CBI officials had barged into the office of a sitting judge.

Leader of Congress in the Lok Sabha Mallikarjun Kharge alleged that the central government was using the CBI to finish the Opposition.

He said what happened in Kolkata yesterday, happen in other places as well, be it Lucknow, Chennai.

Home Minister Rajnath Singh, justifying the CBI action, said the investigative agency was probing a multi-crore chit fund scam and wanted to interrogate the Kolkata police chief in that connection.

Amid slogan-shouting by the Trinamool members, Singh attacked Mamata, terming her dharna as "unprecedented".

Describing the tussle between the CBI and West Bengal police as unfortunate and a threat to the federal structure, the Union Home Minister said the chit fund case had been transferred to the CBI as the scam took place in several states.

Urging the West Bengal government to cooperate with the probe, he said he had spoken to the West Bengal Governor in connection with yesterday’s developments.

As slogan-shouting continued, the House was adjourned till 2 pm.

Similar scenes continued when the House met again and within 5 minutes, it was adjourned for the day by the Speaker who wanted to take up the Motion of Thanks to the President’s Address.

In the Rajya Sabha, Trinamool Congress members wanted to raise the Kolkata issue but Chairman Venkaiah Naidu refused to allow it.

This was followed by slogan shouting by the Trinamool members, which led to adjourning of the House till 12 pm.

When the House reconvened, Trinamool members again created uproar and went to the Well.

Naidu asked them whether they don’t want the House to function.

But as the noise continued, the House was adjourned for the day. (ANI)