Rajya Sabha adjourned till 2 pm as TMC protests over CBI in Bengal

The Rajya Sabha was adjourned until 2 pm on Monday after Trinamool Congress (TMC) members shouted slogans over what they alleged was the Centre’s misuse of the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI).

What happened in the House

Opposition members rose as soon as ministers had laid the listed papers on the table. Chairman M Venkaiah Naidu said he had received several notices on the CBI issue, including one from the TMC’s Derek O’Brien, but had admitted none of them. He told members they would be able to take up the matter in detail during the debate on the Motion of Thanks on the President’s Address.

The TMC members did not accept the suggestion. They raised slogans such as “Save the Constitution” and some moved towards the Well of the House, after which Naidu adjourned proceedings.

The row in Kolkata

The protest followed an unprecedented development on Sunday evening, when West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee began a dharna against the CBI’s attempt to question Kolkata Police chief Rajeev Kumar in connection with chit fund scams.

A CBI team that went to Kumar’s residence in the Loudon Street area was refused permission, put into police jeeps and taken to a police station. The agency wanted to question Kumar, who had headed a Special Investigation Team of the West Bengal Police probing the scams, about missing documents and files.

Opposition support

Several opposition leaders backed Banerjee, among them Rahul Gandhi of the Congress, the RJD’s Lalu Prasad Yadav, and the chief ministers of Delhi and Andhra Pradesh, Arvind Kejriwal and Chandrababu Naidu. Rahul Gandhi phoned Banerjee to offer his support, saying the whole opposition stood together.

See also: political leaders

Originally published on 4 February 2019. Rewritten on 9 October 2026.

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