Amid protests, Speaker issues warning, Dhankhar flags ‘severe criticism’

Amid the din, Speaker Om Birla allowed Law Minister Arjun Ram Meghwal to move the proposal that the Bills related to ‘One Nation, One Election’ be sent to a joint committee of Parliament set up for the purpose.

Once Meghwal moved the proposal, Birla warned members that protests in Parliament would be met with “appropriate action”. He asked members to take their seats, saying ‘Vande Mataram’ would be played. He later adjourned the House indefinitely.

He said “maintenance of the dignity and decorum of this House is a collective responsibility of all of us. It is not good to stage a protest at any gate of Parliament. You will have to ensure that rules are followed in these matters. I request again that take it seriously and under no circumstance hold a protest at the gates or on the premises. Otherwise, Parliament will have to take appropriate action”.

In Rajya Sabha, when the House met at 11 am, Chairman Jagdeep Dhankhar noted that he had received notices under Rule 267, a rule of the House to suspend scheduled business and take up issues mentioned in the notices.

“This House is unique. The world watches our democracy. Yet we fail our citizens through conduct. These parliamentary disruptions mock public trust and expectations. Where seasoned dialogue should prevail, we witness only chaos… We squander precious opportunities that could serve the greater good of our people. These hallowed chambers deserve conduct that honours our oath and not theatrics that betray it,” he said.

Dhankhar asked the Leader of the House and the Leader of the Opposition to meet him in his chambers, adjourning proceedings until noon. Within a few minutes of resumption, the House was again adjourned, this time indefinitely, following Dhankhar’s valedictory address.

He said persistent disruptions are steadily eroding public trust in democratic institutions and as parliamentarians “we are drawing severe criticism from the people of India, and rightfully so”.

“As we conclude this session, coinciding with the 75th anniversary of our Constitution, we face a moment of serious reflection. While our celebration of Samvidhan Divas in the historic Samvidhan Sadan was made to reaffirm democratic values, our actions in this House tell a different story,” Dhankhar said.

Amid the din, Law Minister Meghwal moved the motion in Parliament announcing names of 12 members of Rajya Sabha who would be part of the joint committee to scrutinise the ‘One Nation, One Election’ Bills even as the list of members from Lok Sabha in the committee was expanded to 27 — names of 21 members were announced Wednesday. The strength of the committee rose from 31 to 39.

Addressing a press conference later, Parliamentary Affairs Minister Kiren Rijiju suggested that the strength of the committee had been increased to make it more representative and that there have been precedents earlier of committees with more than 50 members.

“So, looking at the importance of the JPC to look after the issues of ‘One Nation One Election’, the Speaker got representation from all parties and the matter also came to me for consultation. The government agreed that the matter is very important and it relates to the reformation of the election process in our country. So we agreed to include most of the prominent political parties. So, eight more members were included,” he said.

Of the 12 Rajya Sabha members in the committee, four are from the BJP, two from the Congress, and one each from the JD (U), TMC, DMK, AAP, BJD and YSRCP.

The BJP representatives from Rajya Sabha are K Laxman, former Telangana BJP chief and current national president of the party’s OBC morcha; Ghanshyam Tiwari (Rajasthan); Bhubaneshwar Kalita (Assam); and Kavita Patidar (MP).

From the Congress, AICC general secretaries Randeep Singh Surjewala and Mukul Wasnik have been made part of the committee.

The JD (U) is represented by its national working president Sanjay Kumar Jha, YSRCP by its national general secretary V Vijayasai Reddy, TMC by Saket Gokhale, DMK by P Wilson, AAP by Sanjay Singh, andBJD by Manas Ranjan Mangaraj.

On Tuesday, the government had introduced two Bills in the Lok Sabha as part of its plans for simultaneous elections across the country, countering the Opposition’s charge of the move being “anti-constitutional” and “undermining the federal structure”.

Outside Parliament, Priyanka Gandhi Vadra, Congress MP from Wayanad, alleged that the House had been adjourned quickly because the government was “scared” of debating the Adani issue.

“This government is scared to have a discussion on the Adani matter. They know that their true sentiments for Ambedkarji have come out. So, they are now scared of the Opposition because we are raising this issue. National interest is related to this matter. Our Constitution has been given by Ambedkarji, people of this country and our freedom struggle. Such an insult to him will not be tolerated by India,” she said.

On the FIR registered against Leader of Opposition Rahul Gandhi by Delhi Police over injuries to two BJP MPs Thursday, Vadra said, “This is the government’s desperation. They are so desperate that they are lodging false FIRs. Rahulji can never push anyone. I am his sister, I know him. He can never do such a thing. Frankly, the country knows this too. The country is watching how desperate they are that they are lodging baseless FIRs… These are all distractions.”