Rajya Sabha adjourned for day amid Opposition ruckus over farm laws

Soon after the House re-assembled at 1230 hrs after the third adjournment, the Opposition bench again started sloganeering and some of them rushed to the Well. The Chairman tried to pacify the agitating members and requested them to resume their seats.

When all attempts of the Chair failed to placate the Opposition, the House was adjourned for the fourth and the final time for the day.

Earlier, when the House assembled in the morning at 0900 hrs, Chairman M Venkaiah Naidu said he has received notice under rule 267 from various members but the issue can be raised during the discussion on ‘motion of thanks’ to the President's address to the joint sitting of both House of Parliament.

Opposition parties, including the Congress, Left, AITMC and DMK staged a walk-out from the House after their demand for suspension of business of the day to take up a discussion on more than two-month-old farmers' agitation was rejected by the Chairman.

Mr Naidu said the discussion could be held in detail tomorrow when the House initiates discussion on the motion of thanks on the Presidential address.

Despite the Chairman’s ruling, some of the Opposition Members continued to insist, while the majority of them staged a walk-out. Mr Naidu then began the ‘Question Hour’ and a discussion on the low budgetary allocation in the research in science and other fields be initiated.

At this, the Opposition Members who had walked out again entered the House and started sloganeering and insisted on the discussion on the farm laws.

As the pandemonium continued, the Chair adjourned the House till 1030 hrs.

Soon after it reassembled after the first adjournment, Deputy Chairman Harivansh tried to pacify the agitated Members to discuss the scheduled business as the Chairman had already given a ruling that the ‘Farm Laws’ will be discussed tomorrow.

The adamant members refused to budge compelling the chair to adjourn the House for the second time till 1130 hrs.

As the House met again at 1130 hrs, the Deputy Chairman tried to pacify the yelling Members assembled near the Well and asked them resume their seats.

He also said that the House will initiate discussion on the Major Authority Port Bill 2020, passed by the Lok Sabha in the last session and asked the Minister to table the Bill before the House for discussion.

But the Opposition Members refused to listen to him and continued sloganeering.

When all attempts to pacify them failed, Mr Harivansh adjourned the House till 1230 hrs.