The Lok Sabha was adjourned for the seventh consecutive day as legislators shouted slogans demanding a special category status for Andhra Pradesh, and called for a discussion on the scam involving the Punjab National Bank. They also protested against the government’s move to make linking Aadhaar to a number of services mandatory.

In the Lower House, MPs shouted slogans such as “we want justice”. They also held up placards, one of which read “Chhota Modi kahan gaya [Where did Nirav Modi go]”.

The Rajya Sabha adjourned for the day after it reconvened at 2 pm. However, the MPs, including those from the Telugu Desam Party, trooped to the Well of the House, shouting slogans and displaying placards. Deputy Chairperson PJ Kurien urged the Bharatiya Janata Party’s Chunibhai Kanjibhai Gohel to initiate the discussion on a motion on strategic storage of crude oil and petroleum products in India. However, the TDP lawmakers and those from the All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam – who were demanding that the Cauvery River Management Board be immediately set up – continued their protests.

Earlier in the morning, the Congress vociferously protested after a lawmaker in the treasury benches reportedly commented that former Union Minister P Chidambaram, who was absent, must be in Tihar jail. The minister’s son Karti Chidambaram is in Tihar in the INX Media case. The Opposition MPs also called for a discussion on bank scams under a rule that requires voting on a resolution.

Telugu Desam Party MPs staged their protest both inside and outside the Houses. TDP leader and former Union minister YS Chowdary issued an adjournment motion in the Rajya Sabha and former Civil Aviation Minister Ashok Gajapathi Raju in the Lok Sabha – both to discuss the demand for special category status for Andhra Pradesh. Chowdary and Raju resigned from their Cabinet positions last Thursday.

MPs from other parties also protested inside the Parliament premises – the Trinamool Congress against Aadhaar, the YSR Congress Party for special status for Andhra Pradesh and the All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam for a Cauvery management board to be set up.

YSR Congress leader Vaivi Subbareddy introduced an adjournment motion in the Lok Sabha to discuss the Andhra Pradesh row, and Jan Adhikar Party leader Pappu Yadav introduced the motion in the Lower House to discuss the alleged leak of a question paper for an exam the Staff Selection Commission conducted in February.

After both Houses were adjourned, Parliamentary Affairs Minister Ananth Kumar requested the Congress and other parties to let the Parliament function and hold constructive discussions.

“It seems Sonia Gandhi and Rahul Gandhi don’t believe in democracy,” he told reporters. “They speak outside on democracy but don’t practice it in Parliament. Congress doesn’t have democracy in their genes.

The Budget Session of the Parliament has been repeatedly adjournedover the TDP’s demand. Both Houses of Parliament were adjourned time and again as the MPs did not allow proceedings to continue. On Friday, Rajya Sabha Chairman Venkaiah Naidu said “one week had gone waste”.