By Express News Service
NEW DELHI: Both the Houses of Parliament were adjourned sine die on Wednesday. The Rajya Sabha witnessed a deadlock over the suspension of 12 MPs, with the Opposition cornering the government demanding that Minister of State for Home Ajay Mishra Teni be sacked in relation to the Lakhimpur Kheri incident.
The Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha were adjourned in succession within a short duration after proceedings started at 11 am. The Lower House registered 82% productivity, while the Upper House clocked productivity of 47.90%, fifth lowest in the last four years, during the winter session that started on November 29.
The House saw some key legislations passed by the government while the bill to repeal the three farm laws was moved first and passed unanimously. Before adjourning the House, Rajya Sabha Chairman Venkaiah Naidu urged the members to realise that what happened (in the House) was wrong. On the first day of the session, 12 opposition MPs were suspended for unruly behaviour during the monsoon session and TMC MP Derek O’Brien was suspended on Tuesday after he hurled rule book at the secretary general’s table. His suspension lasted only a day.
The suspended MPs, who were sitting in front of the Gandhi statue, read from the Preamble of the Constitution to register their protest. The government had insisted they should apologise which was rejected by the Opposition.
“I am not happy to share with you that the House functioned much below its potential. I urge all of you to collectively and individually reflect and introspect if this session could have been different and better. I don’t want to speak elaborately on the course of the session as it would make me take a very critical view,” Naidu said.
The government hit out at the Opposition for the disruptions in both Houses. Union Minister for Parliamentary Affairs Pralhad Joshi told reporters that the Opposition hasn’t been able to digest the 2019 mandate for the BJP. Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla stressed on discussions to find solutions for issues concerning the people in the House.
O’Brien, on the other hand, accused the government of mocking at and dismantling democracy and slow-poisoning Parliament. “This government has tried to manufacture a majority in the Upper House by suspending 12 MPs,” he said.
