The Rajya Sabha on Monday continued to witness din and repeated adjournments with the Opposition unrelenting from its demand for a discussion on price rise. Its members stormed into the well of the house for the sixth day when the proceedings commenced late afternoon due to President Droupadi Murmu’s swearing in ceremony.
During the discussion on a bill on the weapon of mass destruction and their delivery systems, Sasmit Patra, chairing the house, adjourned the house after Abir Ranjan Biswas(TMC) refused to heed to his request to stop showing placard behind BJP member Ajay Pratap Singh.
Patra adjourned the house for 10 minutes till five pm. Till five pm, the Upper House saw three adjournments with the Opposition vociferously protesting.
Amid the protest, BJP member Sinkader Kumar, Tamil Maanila Congress (M) GK Vasan and Ajay Pratap Singh spoke in favour of the bill. Vasan and Singh condemned the behaviour of Opposition members for creating disturbance in the House when a bill having impact on national security was being discussed. Earlier, when the House met at four pm, it took up the discussion on the Weapons of Mass Destruction and their Delivery Systems (Prohibition of Unlawful Activities) Amendment Bill amid protests by the Opposition members.
GVL Narsimha Rao (BJP) said the legislation is an important tool in controlling financing of terrorist activities. Mahesh Jethmalani (BJP) noted that the genesis of the bill lies in global apprehensions that nuclear weapons could fall into unwanted hands.
He also criticized Opposition members for disrupting the House during the discussion of such an important legislation. Then, when the house functioned for a total of one hour and 40 minutes, a record 14 Points of Order were raised on the Weapons of Mass Destruction Bill, amidst slogan shouting. Seven Members did so under Rules 110, 238, 239 and 259 relating to ensuring order in the House, making personal charges against opposition members etc.
Patra in the chair said if anything objectionable is found, due action will be taken on examination. Regarding order in the House, he said it’s members’ duty also and not of the Chair alone. Raghav Chadda raised Point of Order 5 times, Derek O’Brien 4 times, Pramod Tiwari, Prof Manoj kr Jha, Binoy Viswam, John Brittas and Sukhendu Sekhar Roy once each.
Dr Patra insisted he would not allow Points of Order if the members continued in the well amounting to lack of order in the House.
It worked and points of order were raised by members from their seats.
As the House met at 2 PM, Opposition parties insisted on suspension of scheduled business and taking up of discussion on inflation.
However, Deputy Chairman Harivansh said the House would take up calling attention motion on the situation arising out of rising case of post-Covid complications. The opposition members trooped into the well raising slogans, forcing the deputy chairman to adjourn the proceedings till three pm.
Before adjournment of the House, Leader of the Opposition and Congress leader Mallikarjun Kharge charged that the treasury benches were running away from holding discussions on this important issue of price rise.
"Price rise is a big issue. Why the government is running away from discussion" Kharge asked. To this, Leader of the House Piyush Goyal said the government wants to have discussion on this issue. Goyal said Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman was suffering from Covid. The minister would like to participate in the discussion and respond to the issues raised.