Parliament adjourned amid oppn protests over Adani row, other issues

New Delhi: Both the Rajya Sabha and Lok Sabha witnessed disruptions on Monday as opposition members raised multiple issues, including allegations of bribery against the Adani Group, violence in Uttar Pradesh's Sambhal district, and other matters, leading to adjournments till noon without transacting any significant business.

In the Rajya Sabha, Chairman Jagdeep Dhankhar rejected 20 notices submitted under Rule 267, including eight that sought a discussion on allegations against the Adani Group over a U.S. indictment accusing the conglomerate of paying USD 265 million in bribes for solar power contracts. Dhankhar, equating the repeated disruptions in Parliament to Murphy’s Law, urged MPs to allow proceedings, stating, "Don't make it dysfunctional." Despite his appeals, opposition MPs rose to their feet, raising demands and forcing an adjournment.

Notices from Congress MPs focused on the Adani allegations, while Samajwadi Party members sought discussions on the recent violence in Sambhal. Other notices raised issues such as ongoing violence in Manipur, crimes in Delhi, atrocities against Hindus in Bangladesh, and flood relief for Kerala's Wayanad district.

The Lok Sabha proceedings were similarly disrupted. Opposition members, led by the Congress, raised slogans and protested in the Well of the House as soon as the session commenced, with Speaker Om Birla urging them to allow the Question Hour to proceed. Despite his request to address their concerns later, the protests continued, forcing an adjournment after only one question was addressed.

Parliamentary Affairs Minister Kiren Rijiju was seen speaking with Congress leader K C Venugopal and other opposition leaders before the session. After the adjournment, opposition leaders from the Congress, DMK, TMC, and Samajwadi Party were seen heading to the Speaker’s office for further discussions.

The Adani Group has denied the bribery allegations, stating that neither Gautam Adani nor his nephew Sagar Adani has been charged under the U.S. Foreign Corrupt Practices Act, calling the charges baseless.

Both Houses have faced repeated adjournments since the Winter Session began on December 25, as protests over these issues have continued unabated.