New Delhi: The Rajya Sabha on Tuesday saw repeated disruptions over the Assam NRC issue and was adjourned for the day amid pandemonium as the opposition objected to BJP chief Amit Shah's remarks that the opposition was trying to protect Bangladeshi infiltrators.
The discussion on the National Register of Citizens (NRC) in Assam -- whose draft was released on Monday - was taken up suspending the Question Hour at the request of opposition members.
Leaders of all parties briefly expressed their views on the issue. Towards the end, just before Home Minister Rajnath Singh was to reply, Shah spoke.
"The Assam Accord was signed by your Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi on August 14, 1985. And he announced it from the Red Fort in his speech the next day. The spirit of the Accord was the NRC that would help identify the Bangladeshi infiltrators," Shah said.
"You did not have the courage to implement it. We had the courage and we are doing it. Everybody here (in the opposition) is concerned with the 40 lakh people. How many Bangladeshi infiltrators are there among these 40 lakh? Who do you want to protect? You want to protect the Bangladeshi infiltrators?" Shah asked.
The opposition MPs loudly objected to Shah's remarks and came towards the Chairman, shouting slogans against the government and the Bharatiya Janata Party.
Chairman M. Venkaiah Naidu first adjourned the House for 10 minutes. But as the House was reconvened at 1.10 p.m., the opposition MPs were on their feet again. Naidu then adjourned the House for the day.