LS adjourned till 2 pm as oppn insists Rahul should speak before Budget discussion
New Delhi (PTI): Lok Sabha proceedings were adjourned till 2 pm on Monday with opposition parties insisting that Leader of Opposition Rahul Gandhi be allowed to speak before the House takes up discussion on the Union Budget.
As Krishna Prasad Tenneti called Congress' Shashi Tharoor to initiate the debate on the Budget, opposition members dug in their heels and said Gandhi be allowed to speak first.
Tenneti underlined that the discussion was on the Budget and Tharoor's name had been given by the Congress as its lead speaker.
He said he would need to get clarity on whether LoP can be allowed to speak. He also asked Gandhi whether he wanted to speak on the Budget.
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Tharoor, meanwhile, said he yields to the LoP.
As the stalemate continued, Tenneti adjourned the House till 2 pm.
Later, talking to reporters outside Parliament building, Tharoor said Gandhi wanted to respond to allegations that Congress MPs in Lok Sabha wanted to carry out an "unexpected act" when the prime minister was to come to the Lok Sabha chamber last week to respond to debate on Motion of Thanks.
He said a clarification was required on part of the LoP.
On February 5, an anguished Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla said he had "concrete information" that many Congress members might move towards Prime Minister Narendra Modi's seat and carry out "some unexpected act" as a result of which he had requested him not to come to the House to reply to the discussion on the Motion of Thanks on the President's address.
Earlier, Lok Sabha proceeding were adjourned till 12 noon after Speaker Birla slammed opposition members for "planning" disruptions.
As the House took up Question Hour, opposition members started raising issues which they demanded should be addressed immediately.
Birla said the issues can be raised during discussion on the Union Budget. He said members, including the LoP, were free to speak during the debate.
As opposition members continued disruptions, he slammed them for the "planned" disruptions and asked them to let the House run as per rules.
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345 Indian fishermen stranded in Iran return home via Armenia
New Delhi (PTI): A group of 345 Indian fishermen, who were stranded in Iran amid escalating regional tensions, returned to India via Armenia on Saturday, officials said.
External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar thanked his Armenian counterpart Ararat Mirzoyan for assistance in return of the Indian nationals.
The Indian nationals arrived in Chennai this evening, the officials cited above said.
The circumstances that led to them being stranded in Iran were not immediately known.
"Thank FM @AraratMirzoyan and the Government of Armenia for facilitating the evacuation of Indian fishermen today from Iran, through Armenia to India," Jaishankar said on social media.
Over 1,500 Indian nationals have left Iran through land border crossings in Armenia and Azerbaijan since the start of the West Asia conflict over a month ago.
"A group of Indian fishermen, stranded in Iran, are returning home via Armenia today; their flight is expected to reach India this evening," a government statement said.
It said the Ministry of External Affairs continues to closely monitor the evolving situation in the West Asian region, with the safety, security and welfare of the Indian community being accorded the highest priority.
It also made a mention of five Indians being injured in Abu Dhabi on Friday.
According to Abu Dhabi authorities, the Indian nationals were among the 12 people injured by debris from an intercepted missile.
"In an attack in Abu Dhabi, five Indian nationals were injured; four have been discharged, one remains under treatment," the Indian government's statement said.
It said the Indian mission in Abu Dhabi is extending "full" assistance and coordinating with local authorities, adding that their flight is expected to reach India this evening.
