The Lok Sabha functioned for a total of 13 minutes and the Rajya Sabha for 16 minutes before both houses were adjourned for the day on Thursday, November 28, as opposition members raised slogans demanding a discussion on the bribery charges against the Adani Group, while the treasury benches accused them of creating a ruckus in the house.
In Lok Sabha, the only business that was conducted included Congress MPs Priyanka Gandhi Vadra and Ravindra Vasantrao Chavan taking oath after being elected in the bypolls from Wayanad and Nanded, respectively, followed by an extension granted to the Joint Parliamentary Committee (JPC) examining the Waqf (Amendment) Bill, till the end of the budget session in 2025.
Moments after Chavan took oath, opposition members rose in protest raising slogans as Lok Sabha speaker Om Birla announced the commencement of the question hour. The house was then adjourned till noon after just seven minutes of functioning. When the house resumed proceedings, BJP MP Jagdambika Pal sought an extension for the JPC examining the Waqf bill. As the extension was granted, opposition members raised slogans demanding a discussion on the bribery charges against the Adani Group.
“All members of the opposition including the members of the Business Advisory Council met the Lok Sabha speaker and decided the time to be allotted to upcoming bills in the house and this was accepted. The other issues that are to be discussed, there are rules already existing for their discussion. Everyone has agreed to them. By breaking rules agreed upon, the Congress party and its associates are creating a ruckus. I condemn this,” said union minister of parliamentary affairs Kiren Rijiju.
“This is not right. There are many new members of parliament, and old members as well. They should be given the opportunity to raise issues from their constituencies. But the Congress and its associate opposition parties, by creating a ruckus like this, are taking away the rights of other members. Secondly, the Waqf amendment bill was before a JPC and the opposition members requested more time. We agreed to that also. Today, the JPC’s extension was granted as well. Yet, the Congress is creating a ruckus. This is wrong, I condemn it,” added Rijiju.
The house was then adjourned for the day after functioning for about four minutes after it reconvened at noon.
‘Disruption not a remedy but a malady’
In the Rajya Sabha, Vice-President Jagdeep Dhankhar refused to allow adjournment notices given by opposition members demanding suspension of business to allow for a discussion on the charges against the Adani Group.
On November 20, the US Securities and Exchange Commission announced that they had charged businessman Gautam Adani with alleged bribery of public officials in India and securities fraud. Simultaneously, the US Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of New York announced a criminal indictment in relation to the same offences.
When proceedings started at 11 am, the upper house functioned for only 12 minutes before it was adjourned amid calls for admitting adjournment notices brought in by opposition members. When the house reconvened at noon, opposition members raised slogans demanding a JPC look into the charges against Adani.
“It is with deep concern, I must say, that we missed this historic opportunity where there should have been productive dialogue (and) constructive engagement, echoing the collective aspirations of our people. We fell short of the expectations. Honourable members, this chamber is more than just a house of debate,” Dhankhar said.
“Our national spirit had to echo from here. Parliamentary disruption is not a remedy but a malady; it weakens our foundation. It slides parliament into irrelevance. When we engage in this kind of conduct, we deviate from constitutional ordainment and show our back to our duty,” he stated further.
After merely four minutes of functioning post noon, the house was adjourned for the day.
Also read: Parliament Adjourned as Opp Demands Discussion on Adani Bribery Scheme, US Indictment
Congress MP Jairam Ramesh said that both the houses had to be adjourned due to the government’s refusal to allow the opposition to raise allegations against the Adani Group.
“Today too both Houses of Parliament got adjourned because of the Government’s continuing refusal to allow the Opposition to raise the issue of the Modani scam which is destroying free and fair competition in many sectors of the economy and destroying corporate India’s credibility and reputation globally,” he posted on X after both houses were adjourned.
On Wednesday too, both houses were adjourned within minutes of the start of proceedings, with the Lok Sabha only functioning for about 14 minutes.
