Rajya Sabha Chairman Hamid Ansari told protesting members, "You are are hijacking the House."
Rajya Sabha proceedings were repeatedly stalled on Monday morning by protests over a brutal murder in Punjab's Abohar at a farm house allegedly owned by a leader of the ruling Shiromani Akali Dal. A man whose limbs were chopped off by the attackers had died on way to the hospital while another man's hand was chopped off.
The farm house owner Shiv Lal Doda is a liquor contractor and Akali leader, who was among 11 people booked by the police. Bheem Tank's limbs were chopped off leaving him dead while Gurjant Singh's hand was chopped off, last week.
Leader of the Opposition in the Rajya Sabha Ghulam Nabi Azad demanded that the Punjab government, run by a coalition between the BJP and the SAD, be dismissed. Opposition members protested forcing repeated adjournments.
Rajya Sabha Chairman Hamid Ansari described the protests and slogan shouting as undemocratic and "a self-defeating exercise" but could not deter the protestors.
Minister of State for Parliamentary Affairs Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi intervened to say that the state government had registered a case. "This is a highly condemnable incident...We are not justifying it," Mr Naqvi said. He said the murder is a state issue and the government there has initiated action.
Refusing to give in, Mr Azad said the House would only run after the minister assured that the state government would be dismissed. He described the Punjab government as an "alcohol-mafia government."
In Punjab, police officer A S Chahal said, "Role of Shiv Lal Doda has not been established. His phone location shows he was in Delhi. If his role is established, he will face the law."
Dr Rajkumar Verka, Vice Chairman, National SC Commission visited the family of the victim and said that if the accused are not arrested soon, we will consider recommending CBI enquiry into the case.
Speaking to NDTV, Dr Yudhisthir, who is treating the victim at the Abohar civil hospital, said that the intent of the attack was to torture. "I have never seen such brutality in my entire career," he said.