The monsoon session of Parliament commenced on July 21. Right from the onset, the opposition displayed an aggressive stance on Operation Sindur and the voter list revision issue in Bihar. The impasse over the Bihar SIR issue continued for the fifth day in both houses. Proceedings in Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha faced disruptions. The Lok Sabha was adjourned first till 2 PM and then until 11 AM on July 28. Similarly, the Rajya Sabha was adjourned first until noon and then for the entire day.
As soon as the Lok Sabha proceedings started, chaos ensued. Speaker Om Birla spoke about the Kargil Victory Day, acknowledging the bravery and valor of the armed forces, and a moment of silence was observed in honor of the Kargil martyrs. When the Speaker initiated the Question Hour, opposition members descended into the well of the house. Expressing displeasure over the commotion, Speaker Om Birla stated it was against parliamentary tradition.
He endorsed that expressing dissent is a democratic right but added it should align with parliamentary conventions. The Speaker suggested discussions could be held if desired, with government representatives available to find solutions. He announced the adjournment of the Lok Sabha proceedings till 2 PM. Upon resuming, opposition members caused another disruption.
Jagdambika Pal was presiding over the Lok Sabha. Amidst the chaos, he attempted to proceed with the listed business and urged opposition members to allow the house to function, citing the importance of private member bills. Pal emphasized that hindrances do not benefit the public. Despite his appeal, the disruption led to the adjournment for the entire day with approximately 200 private member bills pending.
Kamal Haasan Sworn in as Rajya Sabha Member
Tamil film star Kamal Haasan, along with three other newly elected members, took the oath as Rajya Sabha members. Kamal Haasan led with his oath followed by Rajaathi, SR Shivalingam, and P. Wilson. All these members hail from Tamil Nadu. DMK has once again nominated P. Wilson for another Rajya Sabha term, just as his previous term concluded.
Read Also: Who Will Represent the Government in Operation Sindur? BJP Lists Amit Shah, Rajnath Singh, and Jaishankar
After the swearing-in of new members, Deputy Chairman Harivansh initiated the Zero Hour proceedings, but opposition members again moved into the well chanting slogans. Due to the disruptions, the Deputy Chairman had no choice but to adjourn the session until 12 noon.
Shivraj Singh Chouhan Unable to Complete His Remarks
When the Rajya Sabha reconvened at noon, Agriculture Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan commenced his response during the Question Hour but couldn't complete his reply due to disorder, leading Presiding Officer Ghanshyam Tiwari to adjourn the session until 11 AM on July 28.
Read Also: 'Deliberate Disruption is Detrimental to Democracy', Says Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla on Opposition Commotion
In fact, BJP MP Dr. K. Laxman had posed a question regarding the Developed Agriculture Resolution Campaign. Just as Shivraj began his answer, commotion erupted. Shivraj emphasized the question pertained to farmers, women, and the poor, expressing his eagerness to respond. Despite the ruckus, Chaohan persisted in detailing that over 7,900 villages had been visited by scientists to share knowledge from seeds to crops. Amidst the growing noise, he reiterated the necessity to address farmers' concerns, condemning the unseemly chaos.
