Seeking immediate discussion on Adani Group’s alleged financial manipulations, the Opposition today forced adjournment of Parliament without transacting listed business for a third working day, shouting slogans and insisting that it must be allowed a say before any other work.
Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla and Rajya Sabha Chairman Jagdeep Dhankhar first adjourned the two Houses till after lunch. But the Opposition did not relent and forced adjournment of Parliament for the day.
As the Lok Sabha resumed after the weekend break, the Opposition was on its feet, with leader of the Congress Party Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury demanding a Joint Parliamentary Committee (JPC) when a question concerning the working class was being answered.
The Speaker said the Opposition members could meet him in his chamber and a time could be fixed on the issues wanted to raise. It was not proper to raise slogans in the well of the House, he said.
The Speaker said the members could raise various issues during a discussion on the motion of thanks to the President for her address to Parliament.Mr Birla adjourned the House till 2 pm when the Opposition members did not let the Question Hour proceed.
When the House reassembled at 2 pm, members from the Congress, DMK and other parties trooped into the well demanding Joint Parliamentary Committee probe into the Adani Group matter.
TMC, JDU, NCP, Shiv Sena (UBT) and other opposition party members were also on their feet. Amid the ruckus, Parliamentary Affairs Minister Pralhad Joshi urged the agitating members to allow the House to take up discussion on the President’s address.
He said the discussion on the President’s address was a Parliamentary tradition and it should not be stalled. The members could raise any issue during the discussion and the government was ready to reply.
Joshi said that Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman had already clarified the government’s stand over the issue. The Presiding Officer urged the members to go back to their seats but the agitating members continued with their protest, leading to the adjournment of the House for the day.
Shortly after the assembly of the Rajya Sabha, the Chairman said he had received 10 notices under Rule 267 from Leader of the Opposition Mallikarjun Kharge and other Opposition members for suspension of the business including the Zero Hour and the Question Hour. The Opposition wanted discussion on the Adani Group issue.
Dhankar said that he was committed “to ruling of law and the Constitution,” and was unable to allow the notices, being not in conformity with the rule and directions of the Chair. Jairam Ramesh (Congress) urged the Chairman to let the leader of the Opposition speak.
As the Chairman tried to proceed with the Zero Hour issues and called Mr V Vijayasai Reddy of YSRCP to speak, there were interruptions. The Chairman reminded the House that it was the House of Elders.”The entire nation is looking at us. They want things in the House to be regulated as per law and Constitution and the deliberations to be effective,” he said.
He said frustrating the functioning of the House was certainly beyond the expectations of the people. “We are not honouring their aspirations. We are not acting in accordance with what we are expected to do. Members, I appeal to you, in the name of democracy and Constitution, to transact Business of the day,” he said.
There was however no impact on the Opposition and the Congress wanted Kharge to be allowed to speak. Dhankhar asked members to consider the time lost in disruptions. “The fact that we choose a forum meant for deliberations for extraneous purposes is not appropriate,” he remarked.
The Chairman pointed out that “We are utilizing huge funds. The House is not in order. This is an outrage of rules; this is an outrage of expectations. The House is not being allowed to run. This is most unfortunate. The House is adjourned to meet at 2 pm.”
In the afternoon, while adjourning the House for the day, the Chairman said “we must continue with our listed Business. And that is what we should be doing. We must not raise the issues which have been determined finally.” He said the House knew that the listed Business gave them all opportunity of expression and it defied logical reason why it was not being availed of.
While the Chairman asked the members to resume their seats, Ramesh referred to the discussion sought by the Opposition. Dhankhar then adjourned the House till 7th February.