Just before the Opposition walked out of Rajya Sabha ahead of the discussion on several Bills, the House business was held up for some time due to a heated exchange between Leader of Opposition Mallikarjun Kharge and Leader of the House J P Nadda over the former’s demand for a discussion on the Bihar Special Intensive Revision (SIR). When the House reassembled at 2pm, BJD’s Sasmit Patra, who was in the Chair, asked Union Minister Sarbananda Sonowal to introduce the Indian Ports Bill. Sonowal moved the Bill amid the din. Meanwhile, Kharge stood up and demanded a discussion on revision of electoral rolls in Bihar and other Opposition members joined him. “Any matter which is subjudice or is part of the judicial process right now cannot be taken on record and. anything that is not part of the listed business, will not go on record,” Patra said. This led to protests by the Opposition members. Nadda slammed the Opposition’s “irresponsible behaviour” for regularly disrupting the House proceedings by resorting to “anarchism” and “obstructionism”. He said the government is ready to discuss any subject, which is permitted in the rules. “They have wasted 69 hours and one minute of this House,” Nadda said. While he was speaking, Opposition members walked out. Later in the day, Nadda, in a series of posts on X, called the Indus Water Treaty “one of the biggest blunders of country’s first PM Jawaharlal Nehru”.
