New Delhi: The Lok Sabha proceedings were adjourned for the day on Monday amid noisy protests by the opposition, which demanded a discussion on Operation Sindoor and other issues.
This was the fourth adjournment on the first day of the month-long Monsoon session.
As soon as the House reconvened at 4 pm after the third adjournment, Dilip Saikia, who was in the Chair, urged members to allow a bill on readjustment of Goa Assembly seats to be taken up.
However, the opposition continued raising slogans over its demand for a discussion on Operation Sindoor, under which Indian armed forces carried out attacks on terrorist infrastructure in Pakistan following the April 22 Pahalgam terror attack.
Earlier, when the House met at 2 pm after the second adjournment, the Chair appealed to opposition members to allow the House to function. Amid continuous sloganeering, Sandhya Ray adjourned the proceedings till 4 pm.
The House was adjourned over the same issues earlier in the day.
Defence Minister Rajnath Singh assured the opposition MPs that the government is ready to have a long discussion on all issues that the Speaker agrees to.
“The government is ready to discuss any topic the opposition wants. Whatever time they need to discuss, the government is ready to answer all questions,” Singh said.
Parliamentary Affairs Minister Kiren Rijiju appealed to the opposition members to place their demand during the meeting of the Business Advisory Committee (BAC) scheduled at 2:30 pm on Monday.
“The government is ready to reply to all the issues that the Speaker agrees to at the BAC meeting. But to raise slogans and not let the House function on the first day of the Monsoon session is unacceptable,” Rijiju said in the House.
As opposition members continued to protest in the Well, Jagdambika Pal, who was in the Chair, asked them to return to their seats and assured them that Speaker Om Birla would allow them to raise all matters that they wanted to discuss.
With the opposition leaders not relenting, Pal said, “I appeal to the leader of opposition, I appeal to Rahul Gandhi to let the House take up Zero Hour. People of the country are watching the proceedings and seeing that the government is ready to discuss all issues, but the opposition does not want the House to function.”
When the Lok Sabha met at 11 am, after obituary references, opposition members led by the Congress were up on their feet as they insisted on a discussion on Operation Sindoor.
Birla said he was ready to allow the members to raise all issues, including Operation Sindoor, after Question Hour — the first hour of the day when members raise questions related to different ministries and departments.
“I will allow you to raise all issues after Question Hour. The House will function according to rules and regulations. I cannot allow sloganeering and raising of placards,” he said.
Birla said if the members give notice, he will allow them to raise all issues and give enough time to each of the MPs.
“Honourable members, this is Question Hour. We must try to maintain high parliamentary standards. We must try to fulfil the hopes and expectations of the people who have elected us and debate and discuss important issues of the country,” he said.
“Go outside the House for sloganeering,” he said.
“You want a discussion on Operation Sindoor, I will allow it after Question Hour. The government is ready to reply to all issues,” he said.
