Lok Sabha, Rajya Sabha face adjournments amid opposition demands on Manipur situation
Jul 24, 2023
New Delhi [India], July 24 : Opposition parties continued their protest in the two Houses of Parliament over their demands relating to the debate on the Manipur situation with both Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha seeing adjournments on Monday.
Both Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha were adjourned till 12 noon and then till 2 pm.
In Rajya Sabha, Chairman Jagdeep Dhankhar suspended Aam Aadmi Party MP Sanjay Singh on Monday for the remainder of the monsoon session of Parliament for “repeatedly violating” the Chair’s directives.
The Chairman first named Sanjay Singh for interrupting the proceedings of the House when it had taken up the Question Hour amid protests by the Opposition over its demand for a statement from Prime Minister on the Manipur violence and a detailed discussion on the issue.
Sanjay Singh came near the Chairman’s podium over opposition demands. Dhankhar told him to resume his seat. As the AAP member kept protesting, the Chairman named him.
Soon after the Chairman named Sanjay Singh, Leader of the House Piyush Goyal moved a motion urging the Chair to suspend the AAP member, saying this kind of behaviour “is completely against the ethics and rules of the House.”
Sanjay Singh should be suspended from the entire session of the House, he said.
The Chairman put the motion for approval of the House and said Sanjay Singh was being suspended for the remainder of the monsoon session of Parliament "for having repeatedly violated the directives of the Chair".
The Chairman then adjourned the House till 2 pm.
Dhankhar had last week cautioned Sanjay Singh, saying that he will be forced to name the AAP member after he repeatedly protested against the proposed bill to replace the Centre's ordinance for control over services in Delhi.
Dhankhar had cautioned Sanjay Singh after urging AAP members to take their seats as he briefed the House about the proceedings of the Business Advisory Committee.
AAP has been among opposition parties demanding a statement from Prime Minister Narendra Modi in Parliament on the situation in Manipur and a detailed discussion on the issue.
The government has said it is prepared to discuss the situation in Manipur.
Lok Sabha witnessed protests and sloganeering from opposition members over their demand for a discussion on the Manipur situation and a statement from Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
The House briefly took up Question Hour before it was adjourned till 12 noon.
As soon as House met for the day, opposition members were on their feet over their demand. Congress leader Adhir Ranjan Chowdhary demanded that the Prime Minister should make a statement in the House on the situation in Manipur.
Speaker Om Birla said that the House is ready for discussion and the opposition parties cannot decide who will reply to the debate.
Birla said Deputy Leader of the House Defence Minister Rajnath Singh has already said that the government is ready for discussion.
Rajnath Singh spoke briefly and said that there should be discussion in the House on Manipur situation and the government is ready.
Birla said that a solution will be found through discussions. “The House is for debate. Have you been sent by people to display placards, resort to sloganeering. This is Question Hour,” he told opposition members
The Speaker said that the matter can be discussion after Question Hour.
Parliamentary Affairs Minister Pralhad Joshi said that the government was willing for discussion and the opposition parties were trying to interrupt the proceedings of the House.
Opposition members displayed placards which expressed concern over the situation in Manipur and sought statement from the Prime Minister in the House.
The House briefly proceeded with the Question Hour amid protests and sloganeering by opposition members befofe it was adjourned till 12 noon.
Opposition members continued their protest when the Houser resumed proceedings at 12 noon.
The House briefly took up government’s legislative agenda among sloganeering by opposition members.
The government withdrew DNA Technology (Use and Application) Regulation Bill, 2019.
Three bills - The National Dental Commission Bill, 2023, The National Nursing and Midwifery Commission Bill, 2023 and the Constitution (Scheduled Castes) Order (Amendment) Bill, 2023 were introduced in the Lok Sabha.
As the protests continued, the Chair adjourned the House till 2 pm.