In a rare instance, Opposition members trooped into the Well of the Rajya Sabha even before the House proceedings began on Thursday morning and shouted slogans pressing for their demand for a JPC on the Adani-Hindenburg issue, leading to an adjournment within three minutes.

Some Opposition members stationed themselves on both sides of the Well in the Upper House minutes before 11 am. Vice-President Jagdeep Dhankhar walked in 30 seconds after the marshal announced that the chairman was to enter. Opposition members began shouting slogans as Dhankhar gestured that they should go back to their seats. He did not occupy his chair and adjourned the House till 2 pm.

When the House assembled again at 2 pm, Opposition members were again waiting in the Well. Deputy Chairman Harivansh asked the protesting members to go back to their seats. As the slogan shouting continued and the treasury bench members were on their feet asking for an apology from Rahul Gandhi for his remarks in the UK recently on the state of democracy in India, Harivansh adjourned the House for the day.

The House proceedings for the whole day lasted only five minutes. No substantial business has been conducted for the last four days in the post-recess budget session.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi held a brief interaction with his Cabinet colleagues defence minister Rajnath Singh, law minister Kiren Rijiju and I&B minister Anurag Thakur, among others at his Parliament House office.

Earlier in the day, before the Parliament proceedings began, Rijiju slammed Gandhi and Congress in a press interaction. “If Rahul Gandhi has sunk or destroyed Congress it is not a matter of interest for us. But if he tries to harm the country, then as a citizen we cannot sit silent. If the people of the country do not support Rahul Gandhi, it is not our or the Parliament’s fault.”