NEW DELHI: The Government of National Capital Territory of Delhi (Amendment) Bill to replace the controversial ordinance could not be taken up in the Lok Sabha on Wednesday as the House had to be adjourned following a ruckus created both by the Opposition and Treasury Benches. Upset over repeated disruptions, Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla also stayed away from the proceedings.
As per the revised list of business, the Lok Sabha was to take the statutory resolution moved by the Opposition, including Congress leader Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury, against the ordinance itself. This was to be followed by Union home minister Amit Shah moving the Bill for passage, which seeks to override the Supreme Court ruling that gave the Delhi government powers over administrative services.
However, as soon as the Lok Sabha met at 2 pm after being adjourned in the morning, a few Opposition members moved to the well of the House on the Manipur issue. No sooner, members of the Treasury Benches too started shouting slogans over the violence in Rajasthan and West Bengal.
AIMIM MP Asaduddin Owaisi asked the chair to direct the ruling MPs to sit down. However, with the ruckus continuing, BJP member Kirit Solanki, who was in the Chair, adjourned the proceedings of the Lok Sabha for the day.
Later, while briefing the media on the Lok Sabha proceedings, Chowdhury said that the minister did not come to the House and that ruling party members were shouting slogans in the House. The statutory resolution was to be moved by Chowdhury along with A. Raja (DMK), Saugata Roy (TMC), N.K. Premachandran (RSP), A.M. Ariff (CPM), Ritesh Pandey (BSP) and Owaisi, among others.
The resolution stated: "That this House disapproves of the Government of National Capital Territory of Delhi (Amendment) Ordinance, 2023 promulgated by the President on May 19."
In Rajya Sabha, members of the Opposition INDIA bloc parties walked out of the House twice, demanding a discussion on the Manipur issue and alleging that the Leader of the Opposition was not allowed to speak in the House. In the morning, Rajya Sabha chairman Jagdeep Dhankhar said he cannot issue a directive to the Prime Minister to come to the House as the Opposition leaders pressed for a statement on the Manipur issue.
The Opposition leaders, who have been demanding a discussion on the violence in Manipur under Rule 267, later staged a walkout in protest. Rule 267 allows for the suspension of the listed business for the day to discuss an issue suggested by a member.
When the Upper House reassembled at 2 pm, Union minister for coal and mines Pralhad Joshi moved the Mines and Minerals (Development and Regulation) Amendment Bill, 2023, for consideration and passage.
Deputy chairman Harivansh gave the floor to the Leader of the Opposition (LoP) Makkilarjun Kharge, who said there is a lot of unrest in the country at the moment. At this, Harivansh asked Kharge to speak on the Bill and disallowed him from raising other issues, following which the Opposition members walked out.
"Only BJP, no LoP is the Modi government's strategy in the Rajya Sabha. This afternoon too Kharge-ji was not allowed to speak. He was not allowed to say why it's important that the PM make a statement to the House on Manipur, followed by a discussion. INDIA (alliance) parties walked out in protest," the Congress' chief whip in Rajya Sabha Jairam Ramesh said on Twitter after staging the walkout.
Leaders of the Opposition bloc INDIA on Wednesday met President Droupadi Murmu and submitted a memorandum over their demand for the Prime Minister's statement in Parliament on Manipur and to list steps needed to restore peace in the violence-hit state. They also demanded that the Prime Minister visit the strife-torn state and make an appeal to the warring communities to end violence and promote brotherhood.
In the memorandum submitted to the President, 31 leaders of the Opposition bloc also raised the issue of communal tension in Haryana's Nuh and alleged that the Central government was not bothered about the developments that are taking place "barely 100 km from the Prime Minister's Office".
