New Delhi, Jul 18, 2022, By Special Correspondent
New Delhi, Jul 18: The Monsoon Session of Parliament got off to a tempestuous start Monday with opposition members creating ruckus in both the Lok Sabha and the Rajya Sabha over the issue of inflation and GST hike.
As a determined opposition disrupted the proceedings repeatedly, the Chair adjourned the proceedings for the day in both Houses.
The government aims to introduce various bills during the current session which will conclude on August 12.
Before the day's sitting commenced, Prime Minister Narendra Modi urged MPs to make the Monsoon Session as productive as possible and called for debate, criticism and analysis for positive contribution to policies and decisions.
Speaking with reporters before the start of the Monsoon Session, Modi said Parliament functions and takes best decisions with everyone's 'prayaas' (efforts) and urged parliamentarians to make full use of this session in national interest.
"We always consider the House an efficient medium of dialogue, a pilgrimage place. Where there is dialogue with an open mind, there are fierce debates if needed, there is also criticism and by very good analysis of things a very positive contribution can be made to policies and decisions," the prime minister said.
This session is also important because elections for the office of President and Vice President are taking place, he said, noting that during this period, the new President and Vice President will begin guiding the nation.
But minutes later, ruckus broke out in both Houses with the opposition demanding discussion on issues ranging from price rise to the Agnipath scheme.
The morning session of the Lok Sabha was adjourned to allow members to vote in the presidential election even as opposition members tried to raise some issues.
In the Rajya Sabha, Congress members trooped into the Well, raising slogans after Chairman M Venkaiah Naidu read out the obituary references.
"As some people have come determined not to allow the House to function and to enable members to go and vote in the Presidential election, I am adjourning the House for the day," Naidu said.
In the Lok Sabha, three newly-elected members - Bollywood actor and Trinamool Congress' Shatrughan Sinha (Asansol, West Bengal) and two BJP members from Uttar Pradesh Dinesh Lal Yadav Nirahua (Azamgarh) and Ghanshyam Singh Lodhi (Rampur) - took oath as members.
As opposition members raised slogans, Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla said elections in India are celebrated as a festival and since the election to the president was underway, it should also be celebrated.
The Speaker said members should participate in the festival and adjourned the House adjourned till 2 pm
Prime Minister Modi, Defence Minister Rajnath Singh, Home Minister Amit Shah, Congress President Sonia Gandhi were among those present in the Lok Sabha.
When the House reassembled post-lunch, members of Left parties rushed to the Well, waving placards protesting rising inflation among other issues.
As the opposition uproar continued, Agarwal adjourned the proceedings for the day.
Meanwhile, the Election Commission said over 99 per cent of the total 4,796 electors cast their votes in presidential poll, while 10 states and the Union Territory of Puducherry recorded a turnout of 100 per cent.
The election was concluded successfully in a free, fair and transparent manner at the Parliament House and at 30 centres within State Legislative Assemblies across the country including in Delhi and Puducherry, the poll panel said in a statement.
The BJP-led NDA has nominated Droupadi Murmu as its candidate, while the joint opposition has fielded Yashwant Sinha for the 16th Presidential election.
Interestingly, several legislators in states admitted that they have cross-voted in favour of the NDA nominee by not following their party line in the presidential election.
Among them are NCP legislators in Jharkhand and Gujarat and Congress MLAs in Haryana and Odisha who said they followed the voice of their conscience.
Prime Minister Modi, Home Minister Amit Shah and Congress leaders Sonia Gandhi and Rahul Gandhi cast their votes at Parliament house.
Going by the poll arithmetic, Murmu is set to win the poll against the joint opposition nominee.