The Winter Session of Parliament has been marked by constant disruptions, with opposition MPs continuing their protests over various issues, including the Adani controversy, violence in Manipur, and the situation in Sambhal.
These protests have resulted in Parliament being adjourned until December 2, with no substantial business being conducted over the past few days.
The protests began soon after the Winter Session commenced on November 25, with the opposition demanding discussions on the Adani issue and the violence in Manipur and Sambhal.
The disruptions, including sloganeering by opposition members, have led to the early adjournment of both Houses of Parliament. On Friday, the Rajya Sabha was adjourned, with Chairman and Vice President Jagdeep Dhankhar expressing his deep disappointment.
He criticized the disruption of proceedings, stating that it was not in the public's interest. He emphasized that the use of Rule 267, a procedural tool for raising matters of urgent public importance, had been weaponized for disruption.
Dhankhar voiced concern that such behavior was damaging the credibility of Parliament, turning it into a "laughing stock" in the eyes of the public.
Despite these remarks, the opposition continued to press for a debate on critical issues. The Congress party, in particular, has been vocal in demanding discussions on the Adani Group's alleged financial wrongdoings, the violence in Manipur, and the law and order situation in Sambhal.
Opposition leaders, including Congress spokesperson Jairam Ramesh, have criticized the government for allowing the disruptions to continue without resistance.
Ramesh expressed confusion over why the government was facilitating the adjournments and allowing opposition parties to dominate the agenda with their aggressive stance. He suggested that the government was defensive about these issues, particularly the Adani controversy, and was avoiding any substantive discussions.
Congress MP Gaurav Gogoi also weighed in, questioning the government's lack of clarity on which issues it was willing to discuss in Parliament. He pointed out that while the opposition had repeatedly asked for debates on matters like Adani, Manipur, Sambhal, and even foreign policy, the government had not clarified when or if these discussions would take place.
Gogoi argued that the government’s refusal to provide clarity on these matters was a reflection of its arrogance and unwillingness to engage with the opposition.
Other Congress leaders, including Kumari Selja and Karti P. Chidambaram, echoed similar sentiments. Selja accused the government of deliberately preventing discussion and failing to take the opposition into confidence.
She argued that the government did not want to run the House, which was evident from its refusal to allow debates on critical issues like the Adani case and the violence in Manipur.
Chidambaram called on the government to be more open and allow the opposition the space to voice concerns, suggesting that a constructive dialogue was crucial for Parliament to function effectively.
Amid these disruptions, the Adani Group has denied any wrongdoing in relation to allegations of bribery in the United States. In a statement, Adani Green Energy Ltd refuted claims that its directors, including Gautam Adani, Sagar Adani, and Vineet Jaain, were involved in violations of the US Foreign Corrupt Practices Act. The company stressed that the media reports were incorrect and misleading.
The first session of the Winter Parliament, which began on November 25, has been largely unproductive due to these continuous disruptions. With both Houses adjourned early on most days, there has been little progress on the legislative agenda.
The Winter Session is scheduled to continue until December 20, but unless the deadlock between the opposition and the government is broken, it seems unlikely that significant business will be conducted during this period.
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