NEW DELHI: The proceedings of both the Rajya Sabha and Lok Sabha were halted until Wednesday after strong protests from Opposition parties.
In the Rajya Sabha, the Opposition, led by the Congress, tried to bring up allegations involving Gautam Adani, founder of the Adani Group. The charges, brought forward in a US court, concern alleged bribes paid to secure contracts for solar power supply.
Similarly, the Lok Sabha saw disruption, with no substantial business conducted on Monday due to Opposition protests on various matters. When the Lower House reconvened at noon, Opposition members voiced concerns over recent violence in Uttar Pradesh's Sambhal district and demanded an inquiry into accusations against a well-known businessman mentioned in the US case.
BJP member Sandhya Ray, presiding over the session, questioned whether members intended to allow the House to proceed. Following the unrest, the session was adjourned until Wednesday.
Earlier, the Lok Sabha had briefly convened in the morning to pay respects to several recently deceased members, including two MPs elected this year, before adjourning until noon.
In the Rajya Sabha, Mallikarjun Kharge, Leader of the Opposition and Congress president, along with six MPs, sought a debate on the Adani bribery allegations. Kharge argued that if the day’s agenda was suspended, the Opposition could illustrate how this "crucial" issue was impacting the nation.
He went on to claim that the country's reputation had been damaged globally and alleged that Prime Minister Narendra Modi continued to back Adani. In response, Chairman Jagdeep Dhankhar ruled that Kharge’s comments would not be recorded. However, as the protests persisted, he briefly adjourned the session.
When the Rajya Sabha resumed at 11:45 am, the chairman emphasized his respect for the members and urged them to let scheduled business continue. Despite this, some Opposition members continued to raise issues, leading to another adjournment for the day.
On Tuesday, a special event will take place in the Central Hall of Samvidhan Sadan to mark the 75th anniversary of the adoption of the Constitution by the Constituent Assembly, so there will be no Parliamentary sessions.
Chairman Dhankhar rejected 13 notices under Rule 267, including seven requests to discuss the US indictment alleging a payment of $265 million in bribes. Other notices called for debates on ongoing violence in Manipur, clashes in Uttar Pradesh's Sambhal district, and aid for the flood-affected Wayanad district in Kerala.
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