Parliament adjourned till Dec 2 as Opposition MPs continue protests; fails to conduct substantial business

NEW DELHI: Amid continuous sloganeering by opposition MPs in both Houses for the fourth straight day, Parliament was adjourned till December 2 (Monday) on Friday, failing to conduct substantial business.

Parliament proceedings have been stalled since the beginning of the Winter Session amid protests by opposition parties over the Adani issue and violence in Manipur and Sambhal.

Firstly, the Rajya Sabha was adjourned, on which Rajya Sabha Chairman and Vice President Jagdeep Dhankhar said that the actions are not "public-centric."

"This cannot be appreciated. We have become a laughing stock, and parliament disruptions are in public distaste. We are creating a very bad precedent. Our actions are not public-centric. We are getting into irrelevance. Rule 267 is being weaponised as a tool of disruption, the Rajya Sabha Chairman said.

The Chairman expressed his deep anguish and profound regret at the disruption in the normal business of the House.

Opposition members have been continuously pushing to have a discussion on the floor on the Adani issue, Sambhal violence and the Manipur situation, raising slogans in the Parliament.

Meanwhile, Congress leader Jairam Ramesh attacked the central government and said that the "big mystery" is why the government is not resisting the adjournments.

"Yet another day of a washout in the Parliament on the Modani issue. Both Houses got adjourned today after only a few minutes. The big mystery is why the Govt is not resisting the adjournments. On the contrary, the government is facilitating the aggression of the INDIA parties on Modani especially - as also on Manipur, Sambhal, and Delhi's law and order. Clearly it has much to feel defensive and apologetic about," Ramesh posted on X.

Congress MP Gaurav Gogoi said that the government should clarify which issue it wants to raise and when.

"Did the government say that there will be a discussion on Adani, Manipur, Sambhal, China and foreign policy? Nothing has come from the government. They have neither clarified the subject nor the date. The day they clarify the subject and the date, we will be able to run the House. But we are seeing a new arrogance in the government," Gogoi said.

Congress MP Kumari Selja said that the government is not interested in running the House.

"They don't want discussion. We want discussion, but they don't listen to the opposition nor take the opposition into confidence. We want the House to function. We are demanding a JPC (in the Adani issue), but they don't want it," Selja said.

Congress MP Karti P Chidambaram said, "I hope the government is large-hearted and allows the opposition the space to raise issues of importance. It's incumbent that the government finds a way in which the opposition can have its say and the government can have its way. The government is in a position to give and the government must give..."

Adani Group has refuted the bribery allegations made in the United States. Adani Green Energy Ltd said in a statement that media articles which claimed "that certain of its directors, namely Gautam Adani, Sagar Adani and Vineet Jaain have been charged with violation(s) of the US Foreign Corrupt Practices Act (FCPA) in the indictment are incorrect."

The first session of the winter Parliament commenced on November 25, with both Houses getting adjourned fairly early due to disruptions. The winter session will go on till December 20.