New Delhi, July 29 (IANS) The Rajya Sabha was adjourned for the second time on Wednesday, till 2 p.m., after sustained disruption during Question Hour when opposition members demanded the presence of the Home Minister.
The House had earlier been adjourned till noon following noisy protests over the alleged entry of Delhi Police personnel into the CPI(M) party office to arrest student leader Aishe Ghosh, a former JNU Students’ Union president.
When the House reassembled at noon, Chairman C.P. Radhakrishnan began Question Hour and called upon Renuka Chowdhury of Congress. She sought to raise what she described as a nationally important issue of malnutrition.
Treasury benches interjected with remarks, prompting an angry response from Chowdhury. “Do the members not want to listen to me? Keep quiet,” she said.
She then repeatedly demanded the presence of the Home Minister in the House. “You do not want to listen to my questions, then call the Home Minister. Where is the Home Minister? You open fire at the children (students),” she charged, linking the demand to the controversy over July 20 Delhi Police action against students.
Opposition members joined in with loud slogans of “Home Minister ko bulao (call the Home Minister)”.
The chaos intensified as both sides raised their voices, making it impossible to conduct proceedings. Finding no improvement in order, the Chairman adjourned the House till 2 pm.
In the morning session, after papers were laid by ministers, including Jayant Chaudhary, Nityanand Rai, Prof S.P. Singh Baghel, B.L. Verma and Savitri Thakur, and a Standing Committee report on coal infrastructure was tabled, John Brittas raised the police action issue.
Leader of the Opposition Mallikarjun Kharge termed it “shameful” and demanded punishment for the officers involved.
Leader of the House J.P. Nadda described the police move as routine law-and-order activity, triggering further sloganeering that forced the first adjournment.
The repeated disruptions highlighted continuing tensions in the Upper House over law-and-order issues involving students and political party offices. The opposition insisted on accountability from the Home Ministry, and the ruling side maintained that police actions fall within normal administrative functioning.
–IANS
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