Parliament adjourned till March 20 amid ruckus

NEW DELHI — Congress leader Rahul Gandhi’s remarks on Indian democracy and the Adani Group issue continued to rock the proceedings of both Houses of Parliament for the fifth consecutive day today.

Both the Lok Sabha and the Rajya Sabha were adjourned for the day following protest by the opposition and treasury benches.

In the Lok Sabha, when the House met this morning, treasury bench members started sloganeering, demanding Rahul Gandhi’s apology while members from Congress, DMK and others came into the well demanding a Joint Parliamentary Committee probe into the Adani Group matter.

TMC, NCP and other opposition party members were on their feet. Amidst the uproar, Speaker Om Birla kept waiting for order in the House, but agitating members continued with their protest.

Birla asked them to allow the House to function, assuring that the members will be allowed to speak once the House comes in order. However, amid the pandemonium, he adjourned the House for the day.

In the Rajya Sabha, when the House assembled for the day, Chairman Jagdeep Dhankhar disallowed the adjournment notices given by the opposition party members over the Adani Group matter.

Afterwards, Congress, AAP and other members trooped into the well of the house, raising the demand to constitute a JPC on the issue. Other opposition party members including TMC, DMK and Left were on their feet.

Treasury bench members also countered the opposition parties by reiterating their demand for Gandhi’s apology. As the noisy scene prevailed, the House was adjourned for the day.

Meanwhile, Minister of Information and Broadcasting Anurag Singh Thakur has demanded an unconditional apology from Congress leader Rahul Gandhi over his remarks on democracy in India during his recent visit to the UK.

Talking to the media, Thakur said the Congress leader is defaming and spreading lies about a prestigious institution like Parliament.