Parliament: Both Houses Adjourned Again as Opposition Refuses to Relent

New Delhi: Lok Sabha was adjourned for the day on Monday after passage of two bills without discussions amid relentless protests by Opposition members who raised slogans and showed placards on the Pegasus snooping row and farmers' issue.

As soon as the House met at 3 pm after repeated adjournments during the day, Lok Sabha took up the Factoring Regulation (Amendment) Bill, 2020, and the National Institutes of Food Technology, Entrepreneurship and Management Bill, 2021, separately.

Discussion on the two Bills could not take place as Opposition members continued to stage protests demanding a discussion on the Pegasus snooping allegations and the farmers' demand of repealing the three new agri laws.

Earlier, Opposition members trooped into the Well of the House raising slogans and placards on the Pegasus snooping row and farmers' issue.

The House saw repeated adjournments and when it met at 2 pm and ran for a few minutes, papers were laid on the table and Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman introduced the Insolvency and Bankruptcy Code (Amendment) Bill, 2021.

As soon as the House met in the morning, Birla paid tributes to the armed forces personnel for their valour and sacrifice during the 1999 Kargil War.

Members observed silence for those who made the supreme sacrifice.

He also congratulated Mirabai Chanu for winning a silver medal in the Tokyo Olympics.

Soon thereafter, Opposition members trooped into the Well raising slogans, disrupting the proceedings.

While the Pegasus snooping row remained the dominant issue with the Opposition members, they also raised slogans and displayed placards in support of agitating farmers.

Some Opposition members demanded the presence of the Prime Minister in the House and raised slogans such as "Modi sarkar jawab do" (Modi government please answer) on the Pegasus issue.

"The government wants to give a reply. If you want a reply, please go back to your seats ... people choose you to raise their issues. You are raising slogans ... this hurts the dignity of the House," Speaker Birla said.

RS Adjourned  Amid Uproar

Proceedings of the Rajya Sabha were disrupted on Monday and the House was adjourned tlll 5 PM after uproar by Opposition members on various issues.

In the morning, Opposition members entered the Well soon after the Upper House resumed proceedings at 12 noon, after the first adjournment and started raising slogans against the government. 

Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman laid the papers pertaining to a notification on reduction of customs duties amid the din.

Deputy chairman Harivansh made repeated appeals to the protesting members to return to their seats and allow the Question Hour to be taken up.

He, however, continued with the Question Hour amid the din by opposition members.

Earlier, the House was adjourned till 12 noon and then again till 2 PM amid Opposition uproar soon after the laying of papers and after Chairman M Venkaiah Naidu paid tributes to martyrs on the 22nd anniversary of the Kargil Vijay Diwas. He also lauded Mirabai Chanu for winning the Silver medal at the Tokyo Olympics.

 ( This is a developing story and will be updated later.)