New Delhi: Both houses of parliament cumulatively functioned only for a few minutes on Thursday (March 20) and were adjourned for the day as opposition members of the DMK protested wearing t-shirts sporting slogans against delimitation, in a move described by Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla “as against parliamentary rules.”
However, none of the opposition MPs or their t-shirts were shown by Sansad TV as the camera remained focussed on the Speaker’s chair and only showed the opposition through long shots that did not give a view of the t-shirts that the Chair had taken objection to.
When the House proceedings started on Thursday, Birla raised objections to the MPs t-shirts.
‘House will function if you come without these t-shirts’
“For some days I have been seeing that MPs are not following rules. It is clearly stated under Rule 349 where it provides for how decorum must be maintained in parliament. If you wear t-shirts and come with slogans written on them then the House will not function. If you come without these t-shirts the House will function but if you come wearing them then the House will not function. This is clearly stated in the rules,” said Birla, adjourning the house.
“No matter how big the MP or leader, they cannot violate the rules. You change and come,” he added.
Rule 349 of the Rules of procedure and Conduct of Business in Lok Sabha, provides for rules to be followed by members during house proceedings. Rule 349 (xiv) states that members “shall not wear to display badges of any kind in the House {except the National Flag in the form of a lapel pin or a badge}”. Other subsections in the same rule provide for not shouting slogans, interrupting members while they are speaking, and not obstruct proceedings among others.
Before house proceedings started, DMK MPs along with INDIA alliance MPs protested in parliament premises against delimitation. The DMK MPs wore clothes that bore slogans including “Tamil Nadu will win, Tamil Nadu will fight” and Fair Delimitation.
Participated in the protest along with DMK and INDIA alliance MPs at the Parliament campus against the unfair delimitation that will undermine Tamil Nadu and South India’s representation in the Lok Sabha.
மக்களவையில் தமிழ்நாடு உள்ளிட்ட தென்னிந்திய மாநிலங்களின்… pic.twitter.com/EhSz3RXxuN
— Kanimozhi (கனிமொழி) (@KanimozhiDMK) March 20, 2025
The Lok Sabha which was adjourned till 12pm was again adjourned when it reconvened at noon till 12.15 to meet again at 2pm. At 2pm when the House reconvened, chair Krishna Prasad Tenneti said that it was already stated by the Speaker earlier that the House will not function if MPs come wearing t-shirts sporting slogans.
“I am requesting you to please come back to the House in proper shape. This request was made by the Speaker and when I came to the chair (at noon),” he said.
Opposition members could be heard saying “what is wrong with it”, but Tenneti said that what was wrong had already been communicated and proceeded to adjourn the House for the day.
‘When the opposition protests, they are not able to take it’
“This is a new rule they’ve invented this morning. There is nothing about dress code. We have seen members of different parties coming to the Parliament in clothes with slogans written on them. BJP also has also protested inside the Parliament. But when the opposition protests, they are not able to take it,” said DMK MP Kanimozhi.
In the Rajya Sabha, Vice President and chairperson Jagdeep Dhankhar started the proceedings of the house when committee reports were tabled but adjourned the house minutes after announcing that he would call a meeting of floor leaders.
“I will be calling a meeting of the floor leaders in my chamber at 11.30 in my chamber. I will share with the leaders what I have seen in the house, a while ago,” he said without specifying what he had seen and why the house was being adjourned.
The House met again at noon and was adjourned within minutes, and later reconvened again at 2pm only to be adjourned for the day.
