Boycott by opposition parties continues in Lok Sabha; NCP, SP walk out

Opposition parties like SP, RJD and NCP walked out of the Lok Sabha on 5 August as members of the Congress, TMC and other parties continued boycott of the House protesting the suspension of 25 Congress members for the second consecutive day.

Besides Congress and Trinamool Congress, members of the Left parties and Muslim League members were also not present.

Soon after the House convened, NCP, SP and RJD members shouted slogans against the government and wanted to raise some issues during the Question Hour. With Speaker Sumitra Mahajan declining to entertain their repeated requests, members of all the three parties staged a walkout.

RJD's Jai Prakash Narayan Yadav was heard shouting, 'Loktantra ki hatya bandh karo (Stop killing the democracy)'.

Though the Question Hour thereafter continued uninterrupted, TRS members raised slogans demanding creation of a Telangana High Court immediately. Despite the Speaker assuring that they could raise the issue later, the members stood in the aisle holding placards near the Treasury benches.

On 3 August, Mahajan had suspended 25 Congress members for five days for protesting with placards in the Well of the House.

Earlier, two nominated Anglo Indian members -- Richard Hay and George Baker -- took oath today.

-PTI