Rajya Sabha adjourned for the day amid din over no-trust against VP, George Soros issue
New Delhi (PTI): Rajya Sabha proceedings were adjourned for the day Wednesday afternoon without transacting any business amid uproar by treasury and opposition benches over the no-trust notice against the House Chairman and the George Soros issue.
Soon after the RS reassembled at 12 noon following the day's first adjournment, Leader of the House J P Nadda accused the Congress of standing with billionaire investor George Soros in seeking to destabilise the country, and demanded a discussion.
He also condemned the Congress for the opposition's no-confidence notice against Vice President and Rajya Sabha Chairman Jagdeep Dhankhar. He said it was an attempt by the opposition party to divert attention from the issue of "ties between the top Congress leadership and Soros".
The members of the treasury benches were on their feet soon after the House met and Deputy Chairman allowed the leader of the house to speak.
"I want to bring to your notice that for the last two days our people are raising the issue of what relationship does the Congress top leadership have with George Soros. What is the relationship between Soros and Sonia Gandhi?," Nadda asked.
He said this concerns the country's sovereignly, and internal and external security.
Nadda alleged that the principal opposition party and the relationship between George Soros should be discussed. "Our people are agitated and want a discussion on this," he said.
Raising the issue of no-confidence notice against Chairman Jagdeep Dhankhar, Nadda said they are trying to divert attention from the real issue by making accusations against the Chair.
"This is a design to deviate the attention of the nation from the issue of the sovereignty of the country and the threat to internal and external security and the Congress has contributed to it. They are becoming a tool in their (foreign forces') hands in supporting them and there should be a discussion on this.
"I also want to point out that the manner in which Congress is making allegations against the Chair is condemnable. It should be condemned by one and all," the leader of the House said.
"They have never respected the Chair, be it inside or outside the House -- the way they have made comments against the Chair's decision and those sitting on constitutional posts," he claimed.
Amid the continued uproar by opposition benches, Nadda said the entire country is agitated and will never forgive them.
The Rajya Sabha has witnessed repeated adjournments for the past three days over the George Soros issue.
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TVK chief should be given opportunity to prove majority in TN Assembly: Omar
Srinagar (PTI): Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah on Friday said there was no justification for the Tamil Nadu governor to stop TVK leader Vijay from forming the government, and he should be provided an opportunity to prove majority in the assembly.
Tamil Nadu Governor Rajendra Vishwanath Arlekar on Thursday rejected TVK chief Vijay's claim to form the government, stating that his party lacks the requisite numbers.
The Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam (TVK) has fallen short of meeting a simple majority to form the government in Tamil Nadu. Though the Congress with five MLAs has offered support to TVK, Vijay's party falls short of a simple majority of 118 in the 234-member Tamil Nadu Assembly.
Abdullah said there was no justification for President's rule in Tamil Nadu in view of numerous Supreme Court judgements emphasising on inviting the single largest party to form the government and then prove its majority on the floor of the house.
"If we see the Supreme Court judgement, then there should be no President's rule. There are so many cases in which the SC has clearly stated that after the elections, the single largest party should be invited (for government formation) and they should be allowed to prove their majority in the assembly," Abdullah told reporters here when asked about the political situation in Tamil Nadu.
"It happened when (former prime minister) (A B) Vajpayee formed the government for 13 days, the President of India did not wait for him to show his numbers. The President of India invited him, the government was there for 13 days, but when Vajpayee did not have the numbers, he resigned," he said.
So, if we take the SC judgement, the J-K CM added, then the Tamil Nadu Lok Bhavan "has no justification to stop this process".
"Vijay should be allowed to form the government, and then he should be provided an opportunity to prove his majority and if he proves, he will remain, but if not, then he will have to resign," Abdullah said.
To a question on whether there would be impact of the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) in Jammu and Kashmir, the CM said its impact remains to be seen in the rest of the country first as the assembly elections in the Union territory were not due till 2029.
"As of now it (SIR) has happened in Bengal only. Why are you worried about J-K? The elections are not to take place here till 2029. Let us first see its impact in the rest of the country. What we had to suffer (in J-K), we have. We suffered their delimitation, which was done to benefit the BJP and its friends. Let's see what happens in the future," he said.
On the reported remarks of Leader of Opposition in the J-K assembly, Sunil Sharma, that if the chief minister goes for cabinet expansion, then his party, the National Conference (NC), would suffer like the Shiv Sena in Maharashtra and someone like Eknath Shinde would emerge here as well, Abdullah said all his MLAs stand firmly with the party.
"This tells about the intentions of the BJP. 'Aaya Ram Gaya Ram' (turncoats). Eknath Shinde left because the BJP helped him to leave. It is obvious that the LoP is impatient to hold the chair of the chief minister of J-K. I will only tell him that there is no Eknath Shinde in the National Conference. NC's MLAs stand firmly with the party," he said.
Abdullah said the cabinet expansion is on hold because statehood has not been restored to J-K.
"Cabinet expansion is not on hold because of any fear and that is why I regularly say that the LoP proves through statements like this that till the BJP does not get power, they will not allow us to work smoothly and will not make J-K a state again," he said.
Hitting out at the LoP and the BJP, the J-K CM said the people of J-K, especially those who voted for the BJP in the last elections, should remember that the LoP and his party "indulge in the politics of blackmail and the people here are intimidated in the name of statehood".
