Pegasus uproar grounds House
NEW DELHI: Parliament faced repeated disruptions on Tuesday forcing the both the Upper House and the Lower House to adjourn proceedings, as opposition members continued to target the Narendra Modi-led government over the Pegasus snooping row and the contentious farm laws.
The Lok Sabha was adjourned nine times before it was adjourned for the day amid continuous protests by Opposition MPs.
When the Lower House reassembled for the ninth time at 4.30 pm, Rajendra Agrawal, who was in the Chair, took up one matter of urgent public importance. However, the Opposition members trooped into the Well shouting slogans and carrying banners.
Congress, Communist Party of India (Marxist), CPI and the Trinamool Congress (TMC) were protesting over the Pegasus snooping row, while the Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP), Samajwadi Party and Shiromani Akali Dal were raising slogans against the Centre’s three new farm laws.
With opposition members not willing to relent, Agrawal adjourned the House for the day.
Minister of state for parliamentary affairs Arjun Ram Meghwal said by disrupting the proceedings, the Opposition is
not allowing the ministers to do their duty of replying to questions.
Agriculture minister Narendra Singh Tomar took a swipe at the protesting members and said if they are concerned about farmers, they should allow the proceedings of the House to continue.
“There are around 15 questions related to farmers. If the Opposition members are really concerned about farmers, they should listen to what the government has to say,” Tomar said.
“Disruptions are lowering the decorum of the House,” he said.
In the Rajya Sabha, protests by unrelenting opposition members over Pegasus snooping allegations and farm laws again disrupted proceedings, as they demanded that discussions be taken up on the issues in the House.
Congress, TMC and other opposition party MPs rushed into the Well of the House, shouting slogans against alleged surveillance and farm laws, forcing the Chair to adjourn the proceedings four times before winding up for the day.
Amid the din, the House passed the Marine Aids to Navigation Bill, 2021, which will replace an over nine-decade-old law governing lighthouses and provide a fresh framework to establish and manage vessel traffic services.
The Rajya Sabha has so far failed to transact any substantial business in the Monsoon Session that started on July 19. There has only been a discussion on Covid-10 management in the Upper House. An exasperated chairman M Venkaiah Naidu said that the agitating members were harming the interest of the country, the MPs and also Parliament with their conduct, as his repeated appeals to them to maintain order went unheeded.
“I am concerned over media reports that some sections of the House have decided not to allow the functioning of the House for the remainder of the session,” he said.
“Parliament is meant for making laws, to discuss public issues (but) nothing is being allowed,” he said, adding that important bills are listed for discussion and passing.
He referred to eight bills being passed in 17 minutes in the past.
“Unfortunately, Parliament is being reduced to such a sorry state of affairs,” Naidu said, expressing unhappiness over the disruptions.
Deputy leader of the House Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi said, “The kind of words and language being used by the Opposition members for the prime minister is highly objectionable.” He also said the protesting opposition members are violating the coronavirus protocol as they are raising slogans in the Well without wearing masks.