PM Modi was in the house when Vice President Hamid Ansari adjourned it minutes after the laying of papers
New Delhi:
Calling an early end to the Winter Session amid protests that paralysed business, Rajya Sabha Chairman Hamid Ansari commented today that "peace prevailed only during obituaries."
Prime Minister Narendra Modi was in the house when Mr Ansari, the Vice President of India, adjourned the house minutes after the laying of papers.
Repeated slogan shouting and adjournments were the only feature of the month-long session that took place days after PM Modi announced a ban on 500 and 1,000 rupee notes, a move the opposition says has landed millions in a cash crisis.
"Regular and continuous disruption characterized this session. The symbolism of dignified protests, so essential for parliamentary proceedings, was abandoned," Mr Ansari said in his closing remarks.
"The prohibition in the rules about shouting slogans, displaying posters and obstructing proceedings by leaving their assigned places was consistently ignored by all sections of the house. All sections of the house need to introspect on the distinction between dissent, disruption and agitation."
The session, which started on November 16, was a near washout as opposition members aggressively protested over the notes ban impact.
Mr Ansari said the chaos "deprived members of the opportunity to seek accountability of the Executive through questions and discussions on matters of public interest."
The upper house functioned on the first day of the session and had a "useful discussion" on demonetisation on November 16 and November 24, which remained inconclusive.
On Wednesday, the Rights of Persons with Disabilities Bill, 2014, was passed in the Rajya Sabha.
(With inputs from PTI)