By Indo Asian News Service | IANS – 23 minutes ago

New Delhi, Sep 5 (IANS) The Rajya Sabha was adjourned for the day Monday after agitated Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) members repeatedly raised the issue of the Gujarat governor appointing a Lokayukta without consulting the Narendra Modi-led state government.

The house witnessed two disruptions before being adjourned for the day.

After the house reassembled at 2 p.m. following the earlier adjournments, Deputy Chairman K. Rahman Khan said that Commercial Division of High Courts Bill, 2010 should be taken up. However, BJP members came near his podium raising slogans over Governor Kamla Beniwal's appointment of retired judge R.A. Mehta as the Lokayukta.

Minister of State for Parliamentary Affairs Rajiv Shukla said the matter was subjudice and Gujarat High Court was looking into the matter.
However, BJP members continued to raise slogans. The chair then adjourned the house till Tuesday.
The issue was raised by BJP members soon after the house met for the day. Some party members gathered the near the podium and Chairman Hamid Ansari adjourned the house till 12 noon.

After the house reassembled, BJP members continued their protest. The chair then adjourned the house till 2 p.m.

Vijaykumar Rupani, a BJP MP from Gujarat, said the government had not responded though the issue of the Lokayukta's appointment was being raised in the house for three days.
'The appointment of the Lokayukta without consulting the state government is in violation of the constitution. The notification of his appointment should be taken back,' Rupani told IANS.
He said 'the federal structure will crash' if appointments were made in this manner.

The BJP MP said it was the duty of the government to ensure that the house functioned smoothly and that it should respond to issues raised by the opposition.