Washout in LS, RS proceedings amid Opposition protest seeking Amit Shah’s reply on security breach

PTI, Dec 15, 2023, 6:15 PM IST

Credit: PTI Photo

New Delhi: Parliamentary proceedings were completely washed out on Friday after opposition protests in both the houses over the security breach issue amid demands that Home Minister Amit Shah make a statement followed by a discussion.

While Lok Sabha was adjourned within moments after it met for the day and again till 2 PM and then within a minute after that, Rajya Sabha saw similar adjournments – first within minutes of the laying of papers and Standing Committee reports and then again for the day within a minute of it meeting at 2 PM.

This is the third day when parliamentary proceedings were disrupted over the security breach issue in Parliament. Two persons jumped in the Lok Sabha chamber on Wednesday and opened yellow smoke canisters inside the house, leading to a scare.

The Opposition is also protesting the suspension of 14 MPs – 13 from Lok Sabha and one from Rajya Sabha after they raised their demand for a statement from Shah on the security breach and a discussion thereafter.

The Opposition has raised strong objection to Shah making a statement at a media conclave and not coming to Parliament to give a statement on “such an important issue”. When the Lok Sabha met for the day, Rajendra Aggarwal adjourned the proceedings till 2 pm in less than a minute, amid slogan-shouting by opposition members who displayed placards and rushed to the Well of the House.

As soon as the House reassembled at 2 pm after an earlier adjournment, Kirit Solanki, who was in the Chair, adjourned the proceedings for the day.

The Opposition was demanding the resignation of the home minister as well as his presence in the House.

It was also demanding action against BJP MP Pratap Simha, who had authorised the visitor passes for the two men who breached security to enter the House.

The usual laying of papers as well as standing committee reports could not be tabled in the lower house on Thursday and Friday due to protests.

The three bills that seek to replace the criminal laws were listed on the agenda on Thursday and Friday but could not be taken up for consideration.

Soon after the Upper House met at 11 AM, it was adjourned till 2 PM within minutes amid protest by Opposition parties after Chairman Jagdeep Dhankhar rejected their demand to suspend the scheduled business of the day to discuss the security breach in Parliament.

Soon after the listed papers were tabled, the Chairman informed the members that he had received 23 notices under Rule 267 of the Rajya Sabha procedures for suspension of the scheduled business of the day to discuss the “serious situation arising out of breach of security” in Parliament on December 13.

The Chairman did not approve the notices, and announced the Zero Hour.

At this point, the entire Opposition members erupted in protest.

Aam Aadmi Party member Raghav Chadha tried to raise a point of order by making a hand gesture.

Dhankar objected to the gesture, and said, “Mr Chadha, you don’t have to do like this (hand gesture) to raise a point of order…use your tongue…don’t do it.” “… you were convicted, you were sentenced by this House,” the Chairman said to him.

Chadha was earlier suspended from the Upper House, but his suspension was ended later.

At 2 PM, Opposition members were up in arms again raising the security breach issue.

Dhankhar adjourned the proceedings for the day as his repeated request for order in the house did not yield result.

The house will now reconvene on December 18.

Before adjourning the house, Dhankhar asked Leader of Opposition Mallikarjun Kharge and Leader of the House Piyush Goyal, and other floor leaders to meet him in his chamber.

Kharge had said the home minister of the country can give interviews on TV but is averse to giving a statement on the floor of Parliament.

“INDIA parties demand that Shri Amit Shah should give a statement in the Parliament and then it should be discussed in both the houses,” he said.

“It is our duty to raise our voice on this serious issue of national security, it is our parliamentary duty,” Kharge also said in a post in Hindi on X.

“What kind of justice is it to illegally suspend opposition MPs over the huge lapse in security of Parliament and its MPs,” he also asked.

On Thursday, Shah said at a media conclave that the Parliament security breach is a serious issue and the Lok Sabha Speaker has taken cognisance. He accused the opposition of indulging in politics over the issue.

“There has been a lapse in security and a Committee has been formed to look into it,” he said, adding that the panel will submit its report in a days time.

Hitting back, AICC general secretary Jairam Ramesh said, “It is characteristic of his sheer arrogance that the Home Minister found time yesterday evening to talk to a TV channel on the serious security breach in Parliament on Dec 13th, but is refusing to make a statement in Parliament itself while it is in session.”