Both Houses of Parliament were adjourned early on the first day of its monsoon session on Thursday as angry members sought suspension of all business to discuss Manipur violence, along with a statement from Prime Minister Narendra Modi on the situation.
Opposition members had given adjournment notices for the discussion in both Houses and took the opportunity to raise the matter after initial business including obituary references.
The two Houses had to be adjourned for the day shortly after meeting at 2 pm when the Opposition parties appeared adamant on their demands and did not accept the Government’s assurances to discuss the issue on a later day.
The Lok Sabha was adjourned till 2 pm and the Rajya Sabha till 12 noon following obituary references in the morning. Newly-elected AAP member from Jalandhar Sushil Kumar Rinku took oath as a member of the Lok Sabha. He took the oath in Punjabi.
As the Opposition members appeared restless when Rajya Sabha Chairman Jagdeep Dhankhar was reading out the names of the new panel of vice-chairpersons of the House, he proceeded to give details of the 12 notices he had received for short duration discussions.
Three of the notices were for train accidents, another on unemployment and eight on Manipur, he said. Leader of the House Piyush Goyal said the government was ready to discuss the Manipur situation. Dhankhar said since the government was ready for the discussion, time could be fixed for that.
The Congress and other Opposition members, including the Trinamul Congress, were on their feet speaking angrily, and keen to know about their Rule 267 notices, which call for suspension of business to discuss another matter.
When Derek O’Brien of the Trinamul Congress asked about the notices under Rule 267 for suspension of business for Manipur, the Chairman said he was yet to speak about Rule 267 notices.
Leader of the Opposition Mallikarjun Kharge said he had given a notice under Rule 267 for Manipur discussion and let the prime minister come and give a statement. The Chairman said the government was willing to discuss the issue, and taking note of the atmosphere in the House, adjourned the House till 2 pm.
At 2 pm, after the laying of papers and official reports, Kharge said he was not being allowed to speak on his Rule 267 notice. The Chairman adjourned the House till Friday as the House was not in order.
Amid the din, Information and Broadcasting Minister Anurag Thakur introduced the Cinematograph (Amendment) Bill, 2023.
Earlier, Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla read obituary references to members who had passed away in the intersession period — two sitting members and 11 former members. The House observed silence in memory of the late members.
In the Rajya Sabha, the Chairman read the obituary reference to a sitting member Hardwar Dubey. The House then observed silence in memory of the sitting and former members who died in the inter-session period.