Both Houses of Parliament remained non-functional on Thursday for the third day since the beginning of the Winter Session after disruptions by the opposition over the violence in Manipur and Sambhal, and the Adani issue.
According to a report by news agency PTI, the houses were adjourned within minutes of starting. It was first adjourned soon after the meeting on Thursday and was later adjourned for the day soon after regathering at 12 noon during the opposition parties’ protests.
The Lok Sabha endorsed a resolution that grants an extension to the Joint Committee on the Waqf Amendment Bill until the last day of the Budget Session next year, before being adjourned. The Lok Sabha experienced disruptions amid Question Hour, as soon as Congress leaders Priyanka Gandhi Vadra and Ravindra Chavan took oath as members of the Lower House.
Gathering in the well, oppositions raised slogans for action against the culprits of the violence in UP’s Sambhal amid a court-ordered survey of a Mughal-era mosque.
Crticising the protest, Parliamentary Affairs Minister, Kiren Rijiju said, “I condemn the attempts by the Congress and its allies in disrupting the House proceedings.”
As opposition protests persisted, Telugu Desam Party (TDP) MP Krishna Prasad Tenneti, presiding over the Lok Sabha, adjourned the day’s proceedings.
In the Rajya Sabha, Chairman Jagdeep Dhankhar’s calls for cooperation, highlighting that disruptions harm rather than strengthen India’s democracy, went unheeded amidst continued opposition protests.
The Upper House was adjourned within minutes of convening at 12 noon, after an earlier adjournment shortly after 11 am.
Reflecting on the significance of the day, marking the start of the final 25 years before India’s Constitution turns 100, Dhankhar expressed regret over the missed opportunity for meaningful discussions in the House. “This was a moment for our House of Elders, guided by the spirit of nationalism, to send a powerful message of hope to 1.4 billion Indians, reaffirming our commitment to their dreams and journey towards Viksit Bharat at 2047,” he said.
“Yet, with deep regret, I must say we missed this historic opportunity. Where there should have been productive dialogue echoing the collective aspirations of our nation, we fell short of our people’s expectations,” he expressed with sorrow.
Dhankhar labelled the house more than a debate place. “It is from where our national spirit has to echo.” “Parliamentary disruption is not a remedy but a malady that weakens the very foundation of our democracy. It slides Parliament into irrelevance. The sanctity of this House demands debate, not discord; dialogue, not disruption,” he said while the slogan was being shouted by the opposition members.
Dhankhar added, “We must continue to have our relevance. When we engage in this kind of conduct, we deviate from constitutional ordainment and we turn our back to our duties.”
The Chairman stated that distracting from the productive discussion seems like a failure to respect the trust of millions who expected them as a guardians of their democratic aspirations. While requesting the protesting opposition members to embrace the spirit of meaningful dialogue, Dhankhar said, “I urge you all to embrace the spirit of meaningful dialogue. Let us return to our tradition of thoughtful discussion and deliberation. In this spirit, I request your cooperation in proceeding with today’s agenda.”
“We should not dishonour the spirit of those who gave us this Constitution,” he also said. However, after this, the protests of the opposition continued, resulting in the chairman adjourning the House for the day. Dhankhar added at the end that the Upper House would reconvene at 11 am on Friday.
Rajya Sabha Proceedings On Friday
When the Rajya Sabha convened on Friday, proceedings were disrupted and adjourned for nearly 50 minutes until 12 noon due to opposition MPs protesting the rejection of adjournment notices. These notices sought discussions on allegations against the Adani Group in the US, as well as violence in Manipur and the Sambhal district of Uttar Pradesh.
During the morning session, after the laying of listed papers, Chairman Jagdeep Dhankhar stated that he had received 16 notices under Rule 267 for adjournment of scheduled business. He announced that all notices were being rejected.
The rejected notices included discussions on corruption allegations against the Adani Group, submitted by Sanjay Singh (AAP), Randeep Singh Surjewala, Syed Naseer Hussain, Pramod Tiwari, Akhilesh Prasad Singh, Ranjeet Ranjan, and Anil Kumar Yadav Mandadi (all Congress). Tiruchi Siva (DMK), Sandosh Kumar P, and PP Suneer (both CPI) sought a debate on the Manipur violence.
Notices regarding the Sambhal violence were submitted by John Brittas and AA Rahim (both CPI-M), Ram Gopal Yadav and Ramji Lal Suman (Samajwadi Party), Abdul Wahab (IUML), and Hussain (Congress).
Despite opposition MPs continuing to protest, the chairman adjourned the session until noon. Earlier, Dhankhar extended birthday greetings to MPs Bikash Ranjan Bhattacharyya, Wanweiroy Kharlukhi, and Dharmshila Gupta after the House convened. The opposition remains firm on their demand for discussions on the alleged irregularities involving the Adani Group and the violence in Sambhal.
ALSO READ | Parliament Winter Session: Priyanka Takes Oath; Lok Sabha Extends JPC Term For Waqf Bill Till 2025 — Updates
