New Delhi, March 13 – The Lok Sabha was repeatedly disrupted on Friday due to slogans raised by opposition members, leading to the adjournment of the House twice – first until noon and then until 2 PM. The opposition members sought a debate on the shortages and short supply of LPG and continued to raise slogans, despite the chair rejecting their request.
When the House resumed at noon, chaos prevailed as the opposition members continued to shout slogans. They entered the well of the House and created a commotion while the officiating Speaker, Sandhya Ray, conducted the proceedings. She repeatedly appealed for maintaining order in the House, but the opposition benches remained uncooperative and continued to create a commotion.
As the uproar continued, with the opposition relentlessly disregarding the chair, Parliamentary Affairs Minister Kiren Rijiju expressed deep disappointment and lamented that their behaviour and conduct had not changed even after being called upon during the marathon discussion on the no-confidence motion against the Speaker.
"Your behaviour is undermining the House and bringing it into disrepute. If you don't change your ways, you will face severe consequences from the public," Rijiju told the protesting lawmakers.
He also informed that members of the Congress and the opposition had joined the Business Advisory Committee (BAC) meeting held on the same day, and they had agreed on the agenda for discussion on supplementary demands for grants and private member resolutions.
Admonishing the opposition benches, he said that it was expected of them, particularly after the long debate on the no-confidence motion, to refine their behaviour, but nothing had changed.
He also criticized Leader of the Opposition Rahul Gandhi over "picnicking" outside the Parliament, stating that he was not ready to change his ways, and even those who could "mentor" him had turned his followers against him.
Referring to the opposition's protest at the Parliament's entrance gate, which also involved Rahul Gandhi on Thursday, he said that this was nothing less than a "drama and publicity stunt" to draw public attention.
Earlier, Speaker Om Birla had taken objection to this instance of opposition members "turning the entrance gate into a picnic spot" and stated that it was everyone's responsibility to maintain the dignity and sanctity of Parliament.
As the House convened on Friday morning, the members demanded the revocation of the suspension of eight lawmakers, as well as a discussion on the LPG shortages.
The Speaker urged the members not to disrupt the House and raise any issues of public concern after the Question Hour, stressing that this time was crucial for matters related to particular constituencies.
Minutes after the session began, the Speaker adjourned the House until noon, stating that the House could not function amid continuing protests.