New Delhi: Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha proceedings were adjourned for the day on Monday without transacting any business as the logjam between ruling and opposition parties continued over Rahul Gandhi’s ‘democracy in danger’ remark in London and a demand for a probe into allegations against the Adani Group.
When the Lok Sabha proceedings resumed at 2 pm, some papers were laid and reports were tabled.
However, as the uproar continued, the House was adjourned for the day.
Earlier in the day, Speaker Om Birla had asked agitating members to come to his chamber to discuss issues and find a way out.
“You come, sit and discuss. Both the ruling side and opposition come to the chamber and discuss. We will find a solution and run the House. We will discuss your topics and issues also,” he said.
As the proceedings started in the morning, members of the treasury benches had raised the issue of Gandhi’s remarks.
Opposition members, including those from the Congress, also shouted slogans demanding a joint parliamentary committee (JPC) probe into alleged stock manipulation by the Adani Group.
“Sit down. Let the Question Hour continue….Nation wants to watch the House proceedings. This House belongs to you,” Speaker Birla said in an effort to bring the House in order.
He also assured the members that they will get adequate opportunity to speak as per rules after the Question Hour.
“Why are you sloganeering. House is not for sloganeering. This is not right,” he said.
The Speaker also objected to Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) member Harsimrat Kaur Badal showing a placard from her seat, saying it was not allowed in the House.
“Please allow Parliament function” was written on one side of the SAD member’s placard while “save democracy” was written on the other side.
“You want Parliament to function and bring placards in the House? Is it your way of running Parliament? ….Placards are not allowed,” Birla said, asking her to stop displaying the placard.
The Speaker repeatedly urged the members to allow the House to function.
As the members refused to relent, he adjourned the proceedings till 2 pm.
Parliament’s Budget session has been a washout since the beginning of its second part on March 13, with the BJP demanding an apology from Gandhi.
During his interactions in the UK, Gandhi had recently alleged that the structures of Indian democracy were under attack and there was a “full-scale assault” on the country’s institutions.
The Rajya Sabha proceedings were also adjourned for the day on Monday without transacting any business as the logjam between ruling and opposition parties continued over Rahul Gandhi’s ‘democracy in danger’ remark in London and a demand for a probe into allegations against the Adani Group.
As soon as the Upper House reassembled for the afternoon session, after being adjourned in the morning session, Deputy Chairman Harivansh asked Sujeet Kumar (BJD) to raise a discussion on the working of the Ministry of Skill Development and Entrepreneurship amid sloganeering by the treasury bench and the opposition members.
Even as Kumar tried to speak, the slogan shouting continued, forcing the deputy chairman to adjourn the House for the day.
Earlier, as the House assembled for the day, the ruling and opposition parties traded barbs over Gandhi’s remark in London and the demand for the probe into allegations against the Adani Group.
During the morning session, as the ruling BJP and the opposition parties kept shouting slogans, Chairman Jagdeep Dhankhar had adjourned the proceedings till 2 pm.
Dhankhar said he had received notices under rule 267-9 from Congress members, including Pramod Tiwari, Rajneet Ranjan, Kumar Ketkar, Syed Nasir Hussain, Amee Yajnik, AKhilesh Prasad Singh, Neeraj Dangi and Mukul Wasnik, to discuss the failure of the government to constitute a joint parliamentary committee (JPC) to look into allegations of accounting fraud and stock market manipulation against the Adani Group.
Binoy Viswam (CPI) and Elamaram Kareem (CPM) wanted a high-level probe monitored by the Supreme Court into the allegations made by US-based short seller Hindenburg Research against the Adani Group while Shaktisinh Gohil (Congress) wanted a discussion on the ‘Z-plus’ security being provided to Gujarat conman Kiran J Patel, who posed as a PMO official.
Rule 267 requires setting aside the business of the day to discuss the issue being raised.
Even before the chairman gave his ruling on the 267 notices, both sides were up on their feet raising slogans. The treasury benches wanted an apology from Gandhi for his remarks in London, while the Congress-led opposition sought a discussion on the Adani affair.
Dhankhar then adjourned the proceedings till 2 pm.
The proceedings of the Upper House were disrupted over the issues last week as well.
