Oppn protests disrupt Rajya Sabha on the 14th day too; adjourned briefly
New Delhi, Aug 6 (IANS) The Rajya Sabha witnessed continued disruptions on Thursday as Opposition members staged protests demanding answers from the government on issues, including alleged theft of Ram Temple donations and police action against students during a protest in Delhi.
The House was adjourned till noon after persistent sloganeering prevented orderly proceedings.
The day began at 11 a.m. with papers and reports laid on the Table by several ministers and members. Thereafter, matters raised with permission began.
Mastan Rao Yadav Beedha initiated the proceedings. Opposition members then raised the issue of notices given under Rule 267. Chairman C.P. Radhakrishnan reiterated that rulings on Rule 267 notices had been given multiple times and declined to entertain any fresh notice. This triggered loud sloganeering from the Opposition benches demanding “Grih Mantri Sadan Mein Aao (Home Minister, come to the House)”.
Members continued reading their matters while the sloganeering persisted.
The Chairman firmly told the Opposition that he would not call anyone as long as the shouting continued.
Amid the din, Sadanand Mhalu Shet Tanwade of the BJP from Goa demanded that the government launch a one-time loan settlement scheme for those who are suffering financially after closure of 2,000 mines in Goa.
Raghav Chadha of the BJP raised the issue of unethical referral commissions charged by diagnostic centres, sometimes involving foreign trips for doctors.
He noted that regulation of the erstwhile Medical Council of India’s Code of Ethics had banned “fee-splitting” as far back as 2002, and the National Medical Commission in 2023 had specifically prohibited “referral commission” under the Registered Medical Practitioner Regulations, with penalties including suspension for up to three months. He said gross violations could also attract charges of cheating, conspiracy and provisions of the Consumer Protection Act.
On persistent sloganeering and shouting by Opposition members, Parliamentary Affairs Minister Kiren Rijiju cited rules against disruption of the House.
The Chairman repeatedly urged Opposition members to return to their seats and not instruct the Chair, assuring them that he would call them once order was restored.
The members, however, persisted with their protests.
The Chairman then called Tiruchi Siva of the DMK and asked him under which rule he wished to raise his issue. Siva replied that he was invoking Rule 258.
The Chairman informed him that proper notice was required before such a matter could be taken up.
When Leader of the Opposition Mallikarjun Kharge rose to speak, treasury benches created a ruckus.
Finding no improvement in the situation, the Chairman adjourned the House till noon.
The members who laid papers included Gajendra Singh Shekhawat for the Ministry of Culture; Jitendra Singh for the Ministries of Science and Technology and Personnel; Public Grievances and Pensions; Chandra Sekhar Pemmasani for Communications; Shobha Karandlaje for Labour and Employment; L. Murugan on behalf of Kirti Vardhan Singh for Environment, Forest and Climate Change; and Raksha Nikhil Khadse for Youth Affairs and Sports.
Members then presented a series of reports of Department-related Parliamentary Standing Committees.
Rahul Sinha presented reports of the Committee on Commerce; Sulata Deo on Industry; L.K. Sudhish on Chemicals and Fertilisers; Rajneesh Kumar Agrawal on Communications and Information Technology; John Brittas on External Affairs; Lakshmikant Bajpayee on Energy; and Geeta alias Chandraprabha on Rural Development and Panchayati Raj.
John Brittas also presented reports of the Committee on Public Undertakings.
These reports covered action taken on demands for grants, evaluation of India-US trade relations, fertiliser logistics and availability, mechanisms to curb fake news, performance of schemes under Digital Bharat Nidhi, functioning of public sector undertakings, and various rural development programmes.
Minister Jitendra Singh made statements on the status of implementation of the recommendations contained in the reports of the Standing Committee on Science and Technology, Environment, Forests and Climate Change relating to the Department of Biotechnology and the Department of Scientific and Industrial Research.
–IANS
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