New Delhi: Amid continuous sloganeering by Opposition members, the Rajya Sabha proceedings were cut short Friday and the House was adjourned till August 3.
Congress President and Leader of Opposition in the Upper House, Mallikarjun Kharge, sought to raise a notice under Rule 267. Rajya Sabha Chairman C.P. Radhakrishnan, however, firmly declined to entertain it.
Kharge began speaking about the notice he had submitted under Rule 267, but before he could complete his submission, the Chairman intervened, stating that rulings on Rule 267 notices had been given on several occasions and that no such notices would be allowed.
Opposition members continued to raise slogans throughout the proceedings, demanding the resignation of Union Home Minister Amit Shah and raising the issue of the alleged Ayodhya donation scam.
The repeated interruptions disrupted the orderly functioning of the House.
Union Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan strongly criticised the Opposition’s conduct. He accused the members of indulging in “street politics” inside the House and of showing disrespect to democratic institutions.
Chouhan said the Opposition appeared determined to create anarchy through such tactics and warned that the country would never forgive them.
“India is watching them and the country will not forget this act,” he said, while condemning the continued sloganeering.
Despite the uproar, some members were permitted to raise issues of local concern.
Mahendra Bhatt of the BJP from Uttarakhand and Ryaga Krishnaiah of the BJP from Andhra Pradesh spoke on matters pertaining to their constituencies with the Chairman’s permission.
Manan Kumar Mishra of the BJP (Bihar) also sought to raise the issue of protecting advocates from malicious FIRs. He demanded a legal provision to safeguard lawyers and their family members. His remarks, however, were largely drowned out by the pandemonium created by Opposition slogans.
With the House remaining in turmoil and no meaningful discussion possible, Chairman Radhakrishnan adjourned the Rajya Sabha for the day.
The House will now meet again Monday (August 3) at 11 a.m.
The day’s proceedings once again highlighted the continuing deadlock between the Treasury benches and the Opposition, with the latter insisting on raising sensitive political issues through sustained protests and the Chair refusing to allow suspension of business under Rule 267.
