Team Anna blames Hamid Ansari for Lokpal fiasco in Rajya Sabha

Team Anna today faulted Rajya Sabha Chairman Hamid Ansari for abruptly adjourning the upper house sine die without a vote on the Lokpal bill.

Former Law Minister and prominent Team Anna member Shanti Bhushan criticised the decision of Ansari to adjourn the Rajya Sabha sine die last night after conclusion of debate on Lokpal bill amid high drama.

"It was clear that majority of members wanted to continue proceedings of the house. They were even ready to sit through the night. The house is always run as per the sense of the house...I think he did the wrong thing," he told reporters.

Bhushan said the chairman should have gone by the views of majority of the members.

"Being the chair of the house, he should have done what the majority wanted," he said.

Bhushan also rubbished arguments that there was a need for president's nod to continue the House saying the chair has all authority to decide on continuing the proceedings.

"President's nod is needed only for convening the session... The house was not prorogued and there was no problem in continuing the session...He did wrong which should not have been done," Bhushan said.

In a statement, without taking the name of Ansari, Team Anna alleged, "Speakers were allowed to give lengthy speeches to kill time. And then taking shelter behind procedures, Parliament was adjourned sine die at midnight without voting."

Another Team Anna member Kiran Bedi also appeared to raise questions over Ansari's conduct during the debate.

"In everyone's life there come moments where one can rise above. This was one such last night for Chairman Rajya Sabha to create history. Alas!" Bedi tweeted.