The Winter Session of Parliament resumed today (December 2, 2024), but both Houses were adjourned without much business being conducted, as Opposition members continued their protests over the Adani indictment case, recent violence in Sambhal, Uttar Pradeshpampawerte, and other issues. This comes after a week of proceedings that were washed out.

Congress MPs sought to raise charges against the Adani group, while Samajwadi Party (SP) members served four notices to discuss law and order issues in Sambhal. Other notices under Rule 267— which calls for suspending the listed business of the House to discuss urgent matters—pertained to ongoing violence in Manipur, rising crime in Delhi, atrocities against Hindus in Bangladesh, and special assistance for the flood-hit Wayanad district of Kerala.

The Adani Group has maintained that neither Gautam Adani nor his nephew, Sagar Adani, have been charged with any violation of the US Foreign Corrupt Practices Act (FCPA) in the indictment filed by US authorities in a New York court concerning a bribery case.

BY Rakhi Bose

When the Lok Sabha reconvened at 12 noon after its first adjournment, opposition members rushed into the Well, raising slogans and protesting the indictment of industrialist Gautam Adani in a US court over bribery charges, as well as the violence in Sambhal. While some members were in the Well, others stood in the aisle, continuing their protest.

Despite the uproar, Minister of Ports, Shipping and Waterways Sarbananda Sonowal introduced the Coastal Shipping Bill, 2024. BJP's Sandhya Ray, who was in the Chair, urged the protesting members to allow the House to function. She pointed out that voters of the country were watching and their issues must be raised.

The Lok Sabha had also been adjourned last week due to similar protests from the opposition.

In the Rajya Sabha, the House was adjourned shortly after it met for the day and was later adjourned for the whole day amid continued opposition protests. Opposition members raised their issues, including the Adani bribery allegations and the violence in Sambhal and Manipur. However, Chairman Jagdeep Dhankhar stated that no matters would be recorded.

Though Chairman Dhankhar allowed the Question Hour to proceed, DMK’s Tiruchi Siva sought to raise some issues. The Chairman said he would allow this only after members take their seats and maintain decorum. As protests continued, Chairman Dhankhar adjourned the House for the day.

The Rajya Sabha has failed to transact any business since the start of the session on November 25. The first week of the session was also a washout as opposition members continued to disrupt proceedings to raise the concerns.

(With PTI Inputs)pampawerte

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