Pegasus logjams House again
NEW DELHI: Proceedings in Parliament were once again adjourned on Thursday amid continuous protests by opposition members over the Pegasus spying row and farmers’ issue, even as a meeting between Union ministers Piyush Goyal and Pralhad Joshi and the opposition to resolve the deadlock in the House did not heed any result.
Lok Sabha passed two bills before the proceedings were adjourned for the day amid ruckus by opposition members. The Airports Economic Regulatory Authority of India (Amendment) Bill 2021 and The Inland Vessels Bill, 2021 were passed without debate.
As soon as Lower House began functioning on Thursday morning, Speaker Om Birla expressed displeasure over the unruly behaviour by some opposition members, and said he was “very hurt” over Wednesday’s incident where Congress MPs Gurjeet Aujala, TN Prathapan and Hibi Eden, among others, had thrown business papers of the day as well as torn pieces of paper and placards at the Chair.
A piece of the torn placard landed in the press gallery just above the Speaker’s podium.
As opposition continued
their protest on Pegasus snooping controversy and three farm bills, Birla adjourned the House till 11.30 am.
It is learnt that Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury, Leader of the Congress in the Lok Sabha, met Speaker Birla on Wednesday and urged him to not suspend MPs who threw the papers.
“Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury met Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla on Wednesday after the uproar by Opposition MPs. He urged the Speaker to not suspend MPs and conveyed to him that MPs were raising issues concerning people and the government is not listening to Opposition MPs. If the Chair will also not listen to them (the opposition), then it will not be good for the democracy,” officials aware of the developments told news agency ANI.
“Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla has assured that suspension will not be done for now,” Congress party officials said.
After the Question Hour ended at 12 noon on Thursday, Rajendra Agrawal, who was chairing the proceedings of the House, asked protesting members to go back to their respective seats. Soon after he adjourned the House till 12:30 pm.
Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury, Leader of the Congress in the Lok Sabha, said the opposition has not been able to put forth its point due to the stubborn attitude of the government. Parliamentary Affairs Minister Pralhad Joshi said the members, who resorted to tearing papers, don’t even want to apologise.
When the Lower House met at 2 pm, Kirit Premjibhai Solanki, who was chairing the proceedings, took up the two bills. He urged the protesting members to go back to their seats.
Amid din, civil aviation minister Jyotiraditya Scindia moved the Airports Economic Regulatory Authority of India (Amendment) Bill, 2021. “During the pandemic, instead of discussion, the House is witnessing sloganeering...We will convert this crisis into an opportunity and provide all possible facilities to farmers and people,” Scindia said.
Similarly, ports, shipping and waterways minister Sarbananda Sonowal moved the Inland Vessels Bill, 2021, which seeks to provide safety of navigation, protection of life and cargo and prevention of pollution that may be caused.
Meanwhile, Rajya Sabha proceedings were also adjourned till Friday amid continuous protests by opposition parties over the Pegasus snooping controversy, farm laws and price rise.
After the House resumed after lunch at 2 pm, the government introduced the Factoring Regulation (Amendment) Bill, 2021. Finance minister Nirmala Sitharaman introduced the bill amid the protest and sloganeering by the opposition members, and said it will provide relief to the micro, small and medium enterprises (MSME) sector.
The bill will help the sector ensure a smoother capital cycle and healthier cash flow, she added.
Deputy chairman Harivansh Narayan Singh, who was in the chair, asked the agitating MPs, who had trooped into the Well of the House, to return to their seats. He called the members to participate in the discussion on the bill.
However, barring those from the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (AIDMK) and Telangana Rashtra Samithi, who supported the bill, no one turned up for the discussion.
Singh then called Sitharaman for her reply and the bill was passed. After that the deputy chairman adjourned the House till Friday 11 am.
After another day of ruckus, the BJP-led government started reaching out to Opposition leaders in an attempt to steer the Monsoon Session of Parliament and enable key legislations to be cleared.
Top functionaries suggested that senior government leaders will speak to Opposition floor leaders from different parties in both the Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha and may call an all-party meeting to end the logjam. However, the move may not yield any results as Opposition parties have indicated they will stick to their demand for a probe and a debate on the Pegasus row.
The session has so far seen little business conducted, with most working days spent in multiple disruptions in both Houses of Parliament.
Meanwhile, opposition MPs on Thursday protested at Gandhi statue in Parliament in support of farmers, who have been agitating against three farm laws since nearly a year.
They demanded that the Centre discuss farmers’ issues properly inside Parliament and these “black laws” be repealed.
Hitting out at the Centre, Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) MP Ritesh Pandey asked how a House can function until and unless government discusses issues of farmers, spying and inflation.
“Farmers’ issues are a priority for BSP and Shiromani Akali Dal. For us, the issue of spying is important too as it is a threat to democracy. How can the House function until and unless government discusses issues of farmers, spying and inflation? The government is mocking democracy,” Pandey said.