The second day of the month-long Monsoon Session of Parliament is when the actual business was supposed to start. But it was a no start as both Houses were adjourned without transacting any business. Sloganeering by Opposition members over issues such over lynchings, farmers and Dalits stalled the Houses.
While the Lok Sabha was adjourned for the day around noon, the Rajya Sabha witnessed three adjournments before the Chair decided to call it a day. The House also saw a visibly unhappy BSP chief Mayawati threatening to resign as her speech was cut short.
Here are the updates:
3 pm to 3:06 pm: Shouting of slogans by Opposition continues in the Rajya Sabha. Opposition MPs protest in the Well of the House. The Chair poses a question to Health Minister J.P. Nadda and gets an assurance that the Treasury is ready for a discussion. The Chair warns that he will be forced to adjourn the House. Sloganeering continues. ''Anti-Dalit government'' and ''anti-farmer government'' are some of the slogans raised. Minister Javadhekar says the business of the House is to discuss issues and asks why are they “running away” from a debate.
Chair adjourns the House till 11 am amid ruckus.
2 pm to 2:07 pm: The Rajya Sabha reconvenes for business. Deputy Chairman Kurien is in Chair. Trinamool leader Derek O’Brien rises, mentioning about issues raised by the Opposition. The Chair then calls Finance Minister Arun Jaitley about the papers to be laid on the table of the House. After the formality, Mr. O’Brien is called to speak. He says 12 notices were given by various Opposition parties, including on lynchings, and wants the Chair to give a ruling on the notices. “We want a discussion on the issues, sir,” he says. Mr. Jaitley is heard saying,"... the discussion right now.” To that Mr. O’Brien says the Opposition did not disrupt the proceedings in the morning and puts the blame on the ruling side. Chair tells Mr. O’Brien not to mislead and misguide. Objections from the Treasury side continue.
Samajwadi Party leader Naresh Agarwal gives a point of order on Article 85. He laments that sittings of the House are getting reduced. Refutes the argument that the government is ready for discussions. ''Continuous disruptions have reduced the sittings and, therefore, we have to debate day and night to pass bills and finally end up not talking about Dalits, farmers and other issues,'' he says.
Mr. Jaitley tells the Opposition to start a discussion. Slogans emanate from the Opposition. Mr. Javadekar says they are running away from debate. Opposition members protest in the Well. The Chair declares his readiness to conduct a discussion. But sloganeering continues.
Despite repeated pleas from the Chair, slogans continue. The Treasury side too raises counter-arguments.
Mr. Kurien adjourns the House till 3 pm.
12:10 pm: The Lok Sabha adjourned till Wednesday.
12:06 pm: Speaker Sumitra Mahajan proceeds with the Zero Hour. Opposition members indulge in anti-government sloganeering.
12:05 pm: The Lok Sabha reconvenes. The Speaker congratulates Indian athletes who won medals in the Asian Athletics Championship.
12:03 pm: The Rajya Sabha adjourned till 2 pm.
12:00 noon: The Rajya Sabha resumes. Vice President Hamid Ansari is in the Chair. Sloganeering continues. The Chairman goes ahead with the Question Hour amid shouting of slogans.
11:25 am: The Rajya Sabha adjourned till noon.
11:25 am: BSP members shout slogans against the government. CPI(M) member Sitaram Yechuri joins the issue. Atrocities against Dalits and minorites are on the rise. Farmers are protesting in Delhi. The government promises a hike in minimum support price (MSP), but they haven't fulfilled it," he says.
11:20 am: Leader of the Opposition Ghulam Nabi Azad rises to speak amid interruptions. He raises the issue of lynching of Muslims and Dalits in the name of cow vigilantism. "You were not chosen to stay muted at the massacre of minorities and Dalits," he says. He announces that the Opposition will stage a walkout.
Congress members walk out of the Rajya Sabha.
11:17 am: Upset over her speech being cut short, BSP chief Mayawati says she will resign from the Rajya Sabha.
11:15 am: Minister Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi dismisses Ms. Mayawati's allegations. She is not talking about Dalits. She is talking politics, he says.
11:10 am: The Lok Sabha assembles and gets adjourned till noon after a ruckus.
11:07 am: Ms. Mayawati begins her speech by accusing the BJP government in Uttar Pradesh of "dividing society on the basis of caste and religion." BJP members object to this. She goes on to narrate the Saharanpur unrest, where a section of Dalits, she claims, were denied permission to conduct a rally to observe Ambedkar Day. Her speech is being cut short. She objects to it.
11:05 am: Members from Tamil Nadu approach the Well taking up various issues, including NEET and farmers issues. Ms. Mayawati also raises issues. Mr. Kurien allows Ms. Mayawati to talk.
11:00 am: Proceedings in the Rajya Sabha . Mr. Kurien is in the Chair. Various reports are being laid on the table. Prominent ones are the Parliamentary Standing Committee report on development of Lakshdweep and the Parliamentary Standing Committee report on transport, tourism and culture.
10:30 am: Welcome to The Hindu 's live updates on Parliament proceedings. This is the agenda of the day:
