Proceedings collapse in LS during Question Hour

New Delhi, Nov 30 (PTI) In a record of sorts, proceedings
in the Lok Sabha (Lower House of Indian Parliament) collapsed
on Monday for absence of as many as 28 members who had raised
questions.
Speaker Meira Kumar was forced to adjourn the House till
1200 Hours after taking up three questions as members, who had
raised the questions, were not present in the House.
Leader of the Lok Sabha Pranab Mukherjee as also
Parliamentary Affairs Minister Pawan Bansal were seen
surprised when members belonging to various political parties,
including Congress, were absent after giving notices for the
questions.
The Speaker called out names of 28 members, including
Varun Gandhi (BJP), Madhu Goud Yakshi, Eknath Gaikawad,
Shruti Choudhary, B Jhansi Lakhsmi (all Cong), Anandrao Adsul,
Shivaji Adhalrao Patil (Shiv Sena), Prabodh Panda (CPI), Rajiv
Ranjan Singh (JDU) and Asaduddin Owaisi (AIMIM), but none of
them was present.
Altogether 17 questions were not taken up for want of
members.
The proceedings were taking place amid protests by members
of Left parties and Samajwadi Party criticising the
government's move to send a Central team to assess the law and
order situation in West Bengal.
A Central team has reached West Bengal to assess the law
and order situation in the wake of persistent demands by the
Trinamool Congress. The state has witnessed an upswing in
Maoist violence as well as clashes between Trinamool Congress
and Communist Party of India-Marxist (CPI-M) workers. PTI SKU
SKT