The Lok Sabha resumed proceedings today, but opposition protests quickly disrupted the session. Congress MPs staged demonstrations inside the Parliament complex and raised slogans of “LoP ko bolne do” (let the Leader of Opposition speak).
The House began at 2 pm, yet members adjourned it within 10 minutes as ruckus and sloganeering intensified. Later, the Speaker adjourned the House again after 5 pm. Consequently, the Lok Sabha will reconvene tomorrow, February 5, at 11 am.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi had been scheduled to respond to the “motion of thanks to the President’s address” during the Budget Session. However, the adjournment forced a postponement of his speech. The motion followed President Droupadi Murmu’s address to a joint sitting of both Houses on January 28.
Earlier this week, tensions escalated after the suspension of eight Congress MPs for what the government described as “unruly behaviour.” Rahul Gandhi accused the government of blocking his speech on the motion of thanks. He also announced that he would present former Army chief General MM Naravane’s memoir to the Prime Minister.
Meanwhile, in the Rajya Sabha, Leader of Opposition Mallikarjun Kharge addressed the House. He raised issues of caste census, women’s empowerment, central schemes, and the crisis in Manipur. Kharge criticised the BJP and RSS for not having a single woman president and attacked the government for delaying its response to the Manipur violence.
Both Houses will continue the debate on the motion of thanks on Thursday. In the Lok Sabha, Sarbananda Sonowal introduced the motion, and Tejasvi Surya supported it. In the Rajya Sabha, BJP MP Sadananad Master moved the motion. Prime Minister Modi is expected to deliver his reply once the Lok Sabha reconvenes.
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