With a surging demand for a Joint Parliamentary Committee investigation into the much-hyped Rafale jet deal with France, and against the Ram Mandir construction in Ayodhya, the parliamentarians protested in Lok Sabha that leads to the adjourning of Lok Sabha on the second day of the Winter Session on Wednesday The Rajya Sabha remained adjourned till 2 pm Wednesday.
Earlier in the day, the Lower House was adjourned till noon after MPs from Congress, Shiv Sena, DMK and AIDMKs protested over various issues, including Rafale, Cauvery row and Ram temple.Shiv Sena MP Chandrakant Khaire had submitted an adjournment notice after raising the Ram temple question.
As protests were on the rise, Lok Sabha Speaker Sumitra Mahajan adjourned proceedings till 12 pm. Soon after the procedures reconvened within Parliament, several MPs started demanding forJoint Parliamentary Committee. Bhartruhari Mahtab, the Biju Janata Dal leader, introduced the Dam Safety Bill in the Lower House amidst the fumigating protests. Soon,the Lok Sabha was declared adjourned for the day.
A similar plot was visible in Rajya Sabha. Congress leader Anand Sharma issued a notice against the suspension of business to discuss the Rafale deal. Soon, the house got adjourned till noon with immediate effect. Leaders of the DMK and the AIADMK entered the Well of the house protesting over Cauvery water-sharing row.
Venkaiah Naidu, the Rajya Sabha Chairman, requested the legislators to return to their seats. But the protesting members turned their deaf ears to them, and he suspended the proceedings till noon.
Protests in the Upper House continued soon after the House reconvened, following which the Chairman adjourned it till 2 pm.
On Monday, the Shiv Sena reinforced their demand in setting up the Ram temple and even threatened to stop the Parliament to function if the government fails to introduce that talks in favour of setting up the temple. Chandrakant Khaire, Shiv Sena MP, while addressing at an all-party meeting called by the National Democratic Alliance on Monday stated that their demands would continue unless the government issues a bill in Parliament for the construction of the Ram temple. He added that if the government does not accept their demands, then their party will not allow the Parliament to function properly.
Lok Sabha Speaker Sumitra Mahajan organized an all-party meeting in New Delhi to create unanimity in ensuring smooth functioning of Lok Sabha. Both the Houses were adjourned that day after paying tributes to departed pioneers of politics, including former Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee, former Lok Sabha speaker Somnath Chatterjee, and Union minister Ananth Kumar.
Meanwhile, Rastriya Janata Dal parliamentarian,JP Yadav submitted an adjournment notice in the Lok Sabha concerning the“misuse of the Central Bureau of Investigation.” In October, the Centre sent the agency’s Director Alok Verma and Special Director Rakesh Asthana on leave after they accused each other of corruption. The Opposition has incriminated the government of debauching the culture in national institutions like CBI and intervening in their daily workflow.
Congress MP Ranjeet Ranjan submitted another adjournment notice on the issue of demonetization and the probable disagreement between the Reserve Bank of India and the government. In the RajyaSabha, the Trinamool Congress demanded an immediate symposium on “the threat to nation’s institutions like the RBI.”
Apart from the Dam Safety Bill, theConsumer Protection Bill is all set to be passed in the Lok Sabha. In the Rajya Sabha, the National Council for Teacher Education (Amendment) Bill, 2018, and the Right of Children to Free and Compulsory Education (Amendment) Bill, 2018,are expected to be considered.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday pleaded to all the house members to discuss several essential Bills and suggested the members invest their time and effort in doing something for people’s welfare rather than wasting their time on individual agenda.