Rajya Sabha proceedings adjourned till 2 pm

New Delhi, Dec 18 (PTI) Rajya Sabha proceedings witnessed two adjournments in the morning session on Monday and will meet again at 2 pm as opposition parties led by the Congress raised the issue of last week's Parliament security breach.

The House proceedings were first adjourned till 11.30.

When the House met again, Chairman Jagdeep Dhankhar welcomed a parliamentary delegation from Sri Lanka to the Rajya Sabha.

Soon after, opposition MP started raising slogans demanding that the Union home minister make a statement in the House on the security breach matter. Some protesting members also carried placards.

As the sloganeering continued, Dhankhar cautioned Binoy Viswam of the CPI and another member. Later, the chairman adjourned the House proceedings till 2 pm.

Opposition MPs said that while Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Home Minister Amit Shah have made statements on the issue outside the Rajya Sabha, their demand for a discussion on the issue in the House was not being allowed.

Earlier in the day, Dhankhar rejected 22 notices given by opposition MPs under Rule 267, calling for setting aside the business of the day to take up a discussion on the issue of breach of security at the Parliament, saying that "they do not merit admittance".

The chairman did not mention the subject of the notices.

Opposition MPs rose in their places, demanding that the Chair at least mention the issue. When the Chair refused, they started raising slogans.

The Congress' K C Venugopal, Jairam Ramesh and Rajeev Shukla said the prime minister and the home minister have spoken on the issue outside but opposition parties were not being allowed to raise the issue inside the House. A few members were seen standing in the aisles, holding placards.

Later, Tiruchi Siva of the DMK told PTI that all notices under Rule 267 were related to the security breach issue.