Parliament Monsoon Session Updates: Both Houses Adjourned for the Day Amid Oppn Protests Over Inflation

Rajya Sabha proceedings washed out completely on Wednesday and the house was adjourned for the day amid continued protest by the Opposition parties led by the Congress over price rise and levy of Goods and Services Tax (GST) on daily essentials. As soon as the House resumed in the afternoon, Deputy Chairman Harivansh called Congress member Shaktisinh Gohil to speak on the Weapons of Mass Destruction and their Delivery Systems (Prohibition of Unlawful Activities) Amendment Bill, 2022. READ MORE

Proceedings in Lok Sabha adjourned for the day. The House will now meet on Thursday, July 21 at 11 AM.

Union Minister Piyush Goyal said that the Congress party doesn’t want the house to run properly. His statement comes after Congress party, on Wednesday, protested against the issue of pay rice in both the houses Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha. Goyal said, ‘We’re ready for discussion on every issue but Congress doesn’t want discussion and the House to run properly. Congress leader Jairam Ramesh’s tweet has exposed the destructive attitude of Congress. Congress is running away from the debate.’

The Minister of State for Home Affairs Nityanand Rai, on Wednesday, told Rajya Sabha that the current government has taken several measures to ensure safety of minorities in Jammu and Kashmir. He said, ‘During the last few months, two incidents of attack on Kashmiri Pandits have been reported in Jammu & Kashmir, in which one person has been killed and another person injured. Govt has taken several measures to ensure the safety of minorities in the valley.’ Earlier, he had also said that Naxal violence has reduced significantly in the country.

Lok Sabha speaker Om Birla session has adjourned the house amid constant protests by the opposition against the issue of price rise. The Opposition Parties also protest in front of the Mahatma Gandhi statue earlier in the day. The session will resume again at 4 pm today.

Union Minister Pralhad Joshi, on Wednesday, said that government is ready for any discussion with the Congress party. He said, ‘Congress has said that they are demanding a debate in Parliament on the issue of price rise but the government is not agreeing. I will firmly clarify that Government is ready for discussion.’

The Rajya Sabha session has been adjourned for the day. The Opposition members, led by the Congress held a protest and stormed into the well of the Rajya Sabha holding packets of milk and curd, on which a five percent GST tax was effected from July 18, disrupting proceedings for the third consecutive day of the Monsoon session. Rajya Sabha will meet at 11 am tomorrow.

The Minister of State for Home Affairs in the Government, Nityanand Rai told Rajya Sabha that deaths due to Left Wing Extremism have reduced significantly in the country. He said, ‘The incidents of Left Wing Extremism (LWE) violence have reduced by 77% from all time high of 2258 in 2009 to 509 in 2021. Similarly, resultant deaths were reduced by 85% from 1005 in 2010 to 147 in 2021.’

An irked Rajya Sabha chairman and Vice President of India M Venkaiah Naidu told the protesting opposition parties that they cannot dictate the terms of the functioning to him. Naidu had said the business advisory committee (BAC) of the House has agreed to a discussion on price rise. “I am allowing a discussion, you don’t want it, I will adjourn (proceedings) then,” he said. As opposition members insisted on acceptance of the 267 notice that calls for setting aside the listed agenda and taking up the issue that is being raised, Naidu said, “You cannot dictate to me.” “In the BAC it was suggested we must have a discussion. I have agreed for the discussion on price rise (but) you people don’t want,” he said before adjourning the proceedings

Opposition members, led by the Congress stormed into the well of the Rajya Sabha holding packets of milk and curd, on which a five percent GST tax was effected from July 18, Naidu adjourned the proceedings till 2 pm. Soon after listed official papers were laid on the table, Naidu allowed Leader of the Opposition Mallikarjun Kharge to briefly mention the subject on which he and others had given a notice under rule 267.

Parliamentary Affairs Minister Pralhad Joshi said it was not right for the members to come to the Well and protest despite the Speaker assuring that they will be given an opportunity to raise issues later. “Are the protesting members interested in discussions or not?” Joshi wondered. As a result of the sloganeering, the Lok Sabha hasn’t been able to transact much business as the opposition remains firm on discussing issues like inflation and the GST rate hike

For the third straight day, Lok Sabha speaker Om Birla urged the protesting opposition members to main decorum, adding that they will get time during the Zero Hour and urged them to put across their views through discussions instead of shouting slogans in the House. He also said that the members have not been sent to the House to raise slogans and that such ways are not good for democracy. “This House is for discussions and not for shouting slogans. This kind of conduct is not appropriate for the decorum of the House and there is a process to be followed by the members,” he stressed.

Union Minister Anurag Thakur accused the opposition of trying to mislead the people on the issue of caste & religion certificates being asked for the Agnipath recruitment scheme. “They do not have any topic to discuss. Recruitments are done as per Army Rules 1954 & Defence Service Regulation 1987. Parties like AAP trying to mislead,” Thakur said.

The opposition’s sloganeering continued to affect the smooth functioning of the Parliament as the Rajya Sabha was adjourned till 2pm, the moment the session commenced, minutes after the Lok Sabha. The parties have demanded that discussions and debates on key issues like inflation, and GST rate hike be taken up. Both Houses have seen repeated adjournments since the start of the monsoon due to the ruckus created by the Opposition.

Jharkhand BJP MP Sanjay Seth said the law and order situation in the state has collapsed. He also demanded an investigation as to why Sandhya Topno, a female sub-inspector was mowed down to death during a vehicle check, yesterday was deployed on night duty. “I will raise the issue of the law & order situation in Jharkand in Parliament today. Sandhya Topno must get justice,” the MP said. READ MORE

Opposition MPs staged protest in Parliament against the Central government over inflation and the recent GST hike on some essential items. Leaders like Rahul Gandhi, KC Venugopal and Mallikarjun Kharge were present at the protest

RJD MP Manoj Jha accused the government of deflecting real issues, adding that the opposition will continue to raise critical issues affecting the common man like price rise and GST. “The government’s only working on winning elections. It’s trying to fight our past from the present, India with Pakistan. There’s talk only on azaan and bulldozer,” the Bihar MP said. He also warned the government against a crisis-like situation in India, as seen in Sri Lanka, urging them to look in the mirror and face the reality.

Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla adjourned the House till 2pm as sloganeering from the opposition continued, urging the Parliament to take up issues like price rise. The Opposition Parties also protest in front of the Mahatma Gandhi statue earlier in the day. “I want to tell those members who are indulging in sloganeering that they should take part in discussions. The public wants the Parliament to work,” the Speaker said.

Congress MPs Mallikarjun Kharge & Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury joined other opposition parties in front of the Mahatma Gandhi statue in Parliament to protest against price rise and inflation. Several opposition leaders have served adjournment motions, urging the Parliament to discuss and debate these issues. The opposition has also fiercely criticized the Centre for increasing GST rates on several commodities, saying it will hurt consumers.