LS adjourned till 2 PM, for fourth time in the day

PTI, Jul 27, 2021, 1:35 PM IST

New Delhi: The Lok Sabha proceedings were adjourned till 2 pm on Tuesday, for the fourth time since the House convened for the day, amid continuous protests by Opposition members over the Pegasus snooping row and farm laws.

As the House reassembled at 12:30 pm, Rajendra Agrawal, who was in the Chair, asked the protesting members to let the House take up the Zero Hour.

Minister of State for Parliamentary Affairs Arjun Ram Meghwal said many members of the treasury benches want to raise their issues during the Zero Hour and the House should function.

Amid the unrelenting protests, Agrawal adjourned the House for the fourth time in the day till 2 pm.

When the House met in the morning, Speaker Om Birla led the members to pay tributes to Anerood Jugnauth, former president of Mauritius, and Kenneth David Buchizya Kaunda, the first president of Zambia.

As the proceedings began at 11 am, the Opposition members trooped into the Well shouting slogans and raising banners.

The Congress, CPI, CPI(M), TMC members were protesting over the Pegasus snooping issue, while the BSP, SP and Shiromani Akali Dal were protesting against three farm laws of the Centre.

Meghwal said by disrupting the proceedings, the Opposition is not allowing the ministers to do their duty of replying to questions.

The speaker repeatedly urged the protesting members to go back to their seats.

“Do not compete with each other in sloganeering. Compete with each other to raise people’s issues,” he said.

Agriculture Minister Narendra Singh Tomar took a swipe at the protesting Opposition members and said if they are concerned about farmers, they should allow the proceedings of the House to continue.

He made the remarks while replying to a supplementary query related to an insurance scheme for farmers during the Question Hour as the Opposition members continued with their sloganeering on various issues, including the Pegasus spying row and the agriculture laws.

“There are around 15 questions related to farmers. If the Opposition members are really concerned about farmers, they should listen to what the government has to say,” Tomar said.

“Disruptions are lowering the decorum of the House,” he said.

As the protests continued, the House was first adjourned till 11.45 am.

When the House met for the second time in the day, the protests continued, leading to another adjournment till 12 noon.

As the Lok Sabha reassembled at 12 noon, Agrawal, who was chairing the proceedings, asked the protesting members to discuss their issues and said the government is ready to answer their questions.

“Please go back to your seats. Please cooperate,” he said.

As the protests continued, Agrawal adjourned the House till 12.30 pm.