The first week of Winter Session was washed out after no significant business could be conducted as the Opposition persisted with protests, demanding discussion on various issues including Adani bribery charge and Sambhal violence.
Both the Houses were adjourned on Friday for the fourth straight day amid protests and sloganeering by Opposition Members over the issues. Tuesday witnessed a joint sitting to celebrate the 75th anniversary of adoption of the Constitution.
Lok Sabha proceedings were initially adjourned till noon, and later for the day following vociferous protests by Opposition members over the Adani controversy and the recent violence in Sambhal district of Uttar Pradesh. As soon as the House met for the day, members from Opposition parties, including the Congress, sought to raise various issues. Some members, mostly from the Congress and Samajwadi Party, were also in the Well of the House and shouted slogans.
Speaker Om Birla said the House should be allowed to run and that the Question Hour was members’ time. ”The people of the country want the House to run smoothly. There should be discussion and dialogue. Agreement and disagreement is the real strength of democracy,” he said.
Two questions were taken up during the Question Hour that went on for around 10 minutes. As the pandemonium continued, the proceedings were adjourned till noon. When the House reconvened, sloganeering by Opposition members continued in the Question Hour. Amid persistent ruckus, the Lok Sabha was adjourned for the fourth straight day.
The scene was no different in the Rajya Sabha. As soon as the upper house met for the day, listed papers were laid. Chairman Jagdeep Dhankhar extended birthday greetings to MP Sanjay Kumar Jha and Dr Bheem Singh. He said he had received 17 notices for adjournment of scheduled business under Rule 267 of the House. The notices from Opposition Members were for discussion on allegations of corruption and wrongdoings against the Adani Group, communal violence in Uttar Pradesh’s Sambhal and ethnic clashes in Manipur.
The Chairman said he was rejecting all the notices. This led to a protest by several opposition MPs who began raising slogans. Expressing anguish, Dhankhar said, “I call upon you (MPs) for deep reflection. Rule 267 is being weaponised as a mechanism of disruption.”
Amid continuous sloganeering by the Opposition, Mr Dhankhar said, “…This cannot be appreciated. We are creating a very bad precedent. Our actions are not public-centric. We are getting into irrelevance…” The RS chairman adjourned the House proceedings until Monday.