Opposition Protests Lead to Early Adjournment of Parliament on Fifth Day of Winter Session
New Delhi, December 2 : Both the Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha were adjourned for the day on Monday, the fifth working day of the 2024 Winter Session of Parliament, amid protests and slogan-shouting by opposition parties. The opposition lawmakers demanded discussions on several key issues, including the Adani controversy, violence in Manipur, and the recent unrest in Sambhal.
The Houses were adjourned after reconvening at 12 noon, following brief adjournments that began at 11 am when the session opened. Rajya Sabha Chairman Jagdeep Dhankhar dismissed 20 notices under Rule 267, which would have allowed for urgent discussions on these matters. Referring to Murphy’s Law, which states that “anything that can go wrong will go wrong,” the Chairman remarked that it seemed there was a deliberate attempt to hinder the functioning of the House.
Parliament proceedings have faced disruptions since the start of the Winter Session, with opposition parties demanding debates on the Adani issue, violence in Manipur, and incidents in Sambhal. These protests have stalled the normal course of business.
Congress MP Gaurav Gogoi commented on the ongoing adjournments, stating that the opposition had met with the Speaker to demand action to ensure the House functions smoothly. “We want the Speaker to run the House,” he said.
Ahead of the House proceedings, a meeting of the floor leaders of the INDIA alliance took place. JMM leader Mahua Maji pointed out the importance of discussing issues like Manipur and Adani. She suggested that the ruling party seemed intent on having the Houses adjourned rather than allowing discussions on these critical issues.
Opposition members have remained vocal, pushing for discussions on these matters, while raising slogans inside the Parliament. The Winter Session, which began on November 25, has seen early adjournments due to disruptions, and will continue until December 20.