STATE TIMES NEWS
New Delhi: Lok Sabha proceedings were repeatedly adjourned on Thursday as opposition members raised slogans and waved placards against the three agriculture laws and the alleged snooping using Israeli spyware Pegasus.
While Zero Hour could not be taken up, only one question could be asked during the Question Hour as opposition members repeatedly trooped into the Well of the House and raised slogans.
Amid the din, the Essential Defence Services Bill and the Inland Vessels Bill were introduced in the lower house.
Since Monday, when the Monsoon Session began, Lok Sabha proceedings have been marred by protests of opposition parties on a variety of issues, including farmers, fuel price hike, economy and the Pegasus row.
As soon as the House assembled for the day, members from various opposition parties raised slogans slamming the government over the three agriculture laws. They later trooped into the Well of the House holding placards and raising slogans. Some of the placards were in Gurmukhi. While members of the Congress and the Shiromani Akali Dal targeted the government on the farmers’ issue, TMC members gathered near the Speaker’s podium raising the Pegasus snooping issue. They shouted slogans seeking answers from Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
Posters such as “Save the country, Save the farmer” were also waived by opposition members.
The Question Hour barely continued for 12 minutes before Speaker Om Birla adjourned the House till 12 noon.
Birla said members are elected to raise issues related to the common man and not raise slogans and wave placards inside the House. The speaker also said he would allow discussions on all the issues the opposition members were raising through slogans and placards.
As the House reassembled at 12 noon, Bhartruhari Mahtab who was in the Chair asked the protesting MPs to go back to their seats and engage in discussion.
Parliamentary Affairs Minister Pralhad Joshi said the government was ready to discuss any topic the opposition wanted.
“The Rajya Sabha had a discussion on Covid… We are ready for discussion on whatever topic you want… Question Hour is a right of every member,” Joshi said.
Mahtab said the government is agreeable to discussion on any topic and the Business Advisory Committee can finalise the subject.
As the uproar continued, Mahtab adjourned the House till 2 pm.
Similar scenes were witnessed at 2 pm also and the Chair adjourned the proceedings till 4 PM.
The uproar continued when the House reassembled at 4 pm even as Mahtab, who was in the Chair, asked the protesting members to go back to their seats. However, the opposition members did not relent, forcing the Chair to adjourn the House proceedings for the day.