Parliament adjourned amid Opt protests over Sambhal Violence, Adani issue

New Delhi, Nov 28, 2024, By Our Correspondent

Protests over the Sambhal mosque violence and the Adani issue led to the adjournment of both Houses of Parliament for the third consecutive day on Thursday. Opposition members stormed the Well of the Lok Sabha, raising slogans demanding accountability for the violence during a mosque survey in Sambhal.

The Lok Sabha session was adjourned for the day, despite Parliamentary Affairs Minister Kiren Rijiju assuring the opposition of discussions on the Waqf Amendment Bill and other issues. Rijiju criticized the Congress and its allies for disrupting proceedings, claiming it hindered important legislative work.

Similarly, the Rajya Sabha was unable to function due to the opposition’s vociferous protests over the Adani issue and violence in Manipur and Sambhal. Chairman Jagdeep Dhankhar’s repeated appeals for cooperation were ignored, prompting him to caution that such disruptions weakened democracy.

Amid the chaos, Congress leader Priyanka Gandhi Vadra marked her formal entry into Parliament as an elected MP. The 52-year-old leader from Wayanad took her oath in Hindi, holding a copy of the Constitution and wearing a cream Kasavu saree.

Cheered on by Congress members with chants of “Jodo Jodo, Bharat Jodo,” Priyanka’s oath-taking ceremony was attended by her mother and Congress Parliamentary Party Chairperson Sonia Gandhi, husband Robert Vadra, and her children Raihan and Miraya. Priyanka’s debut in the Lower House makes her part of a rare political trio with her mother and brother Rahul Gandhi, all serving as MPs.

While Priyanka’s entry was a moment of celebration for Congress, the prolonged parliamentary impasse underscored the growing rift between the government and the opposition on key issues.