The ongoing Monsoon session of Parliament witnessed a second consecutive day of virtual paralysis as opposition parties remained resolute in their demands.
The Opposition is demanding a debate on the Manipur violence and other issues, such as the Centre’s Delhi ordinance. As a result, both the Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha could barely conduct any legislative business, leading to an announcement that both Houses would reconvene at 11 AM on Monday.
Opposition members continued to press for discussions on the Manipur situation, along with a statement from Prime Minister Narendra Modi. On the other hand, the ruling party asserted its readiness for the debate on Manipur but accused the opposition of avoiding the discussion. Union Information and Broadcasting (I&B) Minister Anurag Thakur criticized the opposition for seeking excuses to disrupt Parliament, questioning whether it was due to some of their leaders, including Rahul Gandhi, being disqualified from the Lok Sabha.
The Rajya Sabha was also marred by continuous uproar from opposition party members. The proceedings could not continue even for 20 minutes as Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) members protested against the Delhi ordinance and its replacement Bill. A member of the Bharat Rashtra Samithi (BRS) raised concerns about discussing the Bill while the Supreme Court was still examining a challenge against the ordinance. Additionally, TMC leader Derek O’Brien raised a Point of Order, seeking clarification on why certain words related to the Manipur issue were expunged from the record of Thursday’s proceedings, leading to chaos and subsequent adjournment.
In the afternoon, the House briefly convened but was adjourned for the day shortly after. The deadlock between the opposition and ruling parties has hindered the regular functioning of Parliament, impeding the legislative agenda and discussions on important matters.