Adani row: Opposition protests force House adjournment

In Lok Sabha, as Question Hour began and Speaker Om Birla called the name of BJP member Poonamben Maadam, some Opposition members wanted to raise the Hindenberg report issue. Birla said, “The Question Hour is important. In all legislative conferences, concerns have been expressed that the House should function during Question Hour. All Presiding Officers have said that the House should not be adjourned during Question Hour. You don’t want to run the House. You don’t want to follow the decorum of the House.”

“Let the House function, you raise your fundamental questions, I will give you sufficient time… Please go back to your seat,” Birla said, addressing Opposition MPs.

He subsequently adjourned the House until 2 pm.

As proceedings resumed at 2 pm, Opposition members once again stormed the Well, shouting slogans and demanding answers from the government on the Adani issue. As Opposition MPs kept up their protests and refused to pay heed to Rajendra Agrawal, who was in the Chair and asked them to maintain calm, Parliamentary Affairs Minister Pralhad Joshi stood up and said: “The President has addressed us all in the joint session. The Thank You motion is an important discussion…. I request with folded hands to start the discussions.”

With Opposition MPs not relenting, Agrawal adjourned the House for the day.

In Rajya Sabha, Chairman Dhankhar began the morning session by addressing notices given under Rule 267 by nine Opposition MPs, led by Leader of the House Mallikarjun Kharge of the Congress, seeking suspension of the day’s business to discuss the Adani-Hindenburg issue. Dhankhar said the demands do not fulfil requirements of Rule 267. Dhankhar said, “I have carefully gone through the notices received and find that they are not in order.’’

This led to loud objections from Opposition benches. Dhankhar subsequently adjourned proceedings until 2 pm.

Within a minute of reconvening, the proceedings were adjourned for the day as the Opposition continued protests.