Both Houses adjourned for the day amid Opposition storm in Parliament

New Delhi: Parliamentary Affairs Minister Kiren Rijiju on Tuesday accused the Congress and its leadership of colluding with US billionaire George Soros and anti-India forces, plunging the Lok Sabha into chaos and leading to its adjournment for the day.

Speaking during Zero Hour, Rijiju also hit out at Congress leaders for attacking the dignity of Parliament by coming to the House by wearing masks and jackets with caricatures.

Opposition members trooped into the Well as Rijiju made the remarks.

The minister said the Congress leaders’ stalling of Parliament was also depriving other members of the House from raising issues related to their constituencies.

Earlier, BJP member Dilip Saikia, who was in the Chair, allowed laying of Parliamentary papers and reports of parliamentary standing committees on the table of the House.

Shipping Minister Sarbananda Sonowal introduced the Merchant Shipping Bill after responding to the objections raised by Congress member Manish Tewari and Trinamool Congress member Saugata Ray.

The Lok Sabha plunged into chaos soon after, prompting Saikia to adjourn the House for the day.

Meanwhile, noisy protests erupted in the Rajya Sabha on Tuesday as treasury and Opposition benches traded charges and raised slogans over Congress-George Soros “links” and Adani issues, leading to the adjournment of the House in the afternoon.

As soon as the House met at 12 noon after the first adjournment, Leader of the House J P Nadda raised the issue of alleged links between the Congress leadership and billionaire investor George Soros, claiming that they were conniving to destabilise the country.

This triggered an uproar in the House, with Opposition members raising slogans against the BJP and the treasury benches demanding answers from the Congress.

The Congress’ Deputy Leader of the House Pramod Tiwari rejected Nadda’s allegations and raised the Adani issue.

As stated by a US attorney, the Adani Group paid Rs 23,000 crore as bribes, he said.

Nadda alleged that media portal Organised Crime Corruption and Reporting Project (OCCRP) is an international body that works viciously to destabilise the governments in several countries and hurt their sovereignty. After this, Congress’ Pramod Tiwari rejected Nadda’s allegations and raised the Adani issue.

“Whatever they are saying has no basis and we have. A (US) court has taken cognisance of Rs 23,000 crore bribes (that were paid by the Adani Group)...,” he said, demanding a discussion on the issue.

Soon after, sloganeering from both sides grew louder and the chairman adjourned the House for the day amid the din.