This Article is From Dec 11, 2019

Rajya Sabha TV Stopped Telecast When Opposition Heckled Amit Shah

Opposition members targeted Amit Shah on his comment on the government protecting the interests of the Assamese.

Telecast resumed soon after and showed the House in complete order, with Amit Shah speaking.

New Delhi:

Rajya Sabha briefly stopped telecast during the discussion on the Citizenship (Amendment) Bill today as the opposition heckled Home Minister Amit Shah.

The telecast was stopped a little after noon on the orders of Vice President Venkaiah Naidu, the chairman of the upper house, when Amit Shah was introducing the controversial bill that seeks to enable non-Muslim migrants from Pakistan, Bangladesh and Afghanistan to become Indian citizens.

Opposition members targeted Amit Shah on his comment on the government protecting the interests of the Assamese. Ripun Bora of the Congress protested against the statement.

Mr Naidu warned opposition members against interrupting the debate and said he would name the disruptors, which means the member has to leave the house for the day. He also ordered that nothing they said would go on record.

Just then, Rajya Sabha TV stopped its live broadcast.

Sources say telecast usually stops when the Rajya Sabha chairperson presses a button to flash a red light.

Telecast resumed soon after and showed the House in complete order, with only Amit Shah speaking.

There have been massive protests in the northeast over the bill amid fear that it will encourage a deluge from neighbouring Bangladesh and change the demographics of the region.

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