During the Parliament Winter Session, both the Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha were adjourned until Wednesday due to an uproar over the Adani bribery case and violence in Manipur.
The session, which began on Monday, was quickly suspended following protests by the opposition. It is scheduled to resume on Wednesday, November 27.
The Lok Sabha’s session was halted by presiding officer Sandhya Ray shortly after it started at noon. The Congress and other opposition parties demanded discussions on the violence in Manipur and the bribery allegations involving the Adani Group.
Recently, Gautam Adani, listed among the wealthiest individuals globally, along with seven others, was charged with fraud by US prosecutors. They are accused of participating in a scheme to bribe Indian officials for securing power-supply contracts, involving around $265 million. The Adani Group has refuted the accusations, labeling them as “baseless.” Note that there will be no session on Tuesday, November 26, in observance of Constitution Day.
The Rajya Sabha proceedings were adjourned for the day amid chaos surrounding the Adani issue. Opposition MPs in the upper house called for a debate on bribery allegations against the Adani Group, with the next meeting scheduled for Wednesday.
Earlier, Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla adjourned the session for an hour to honor recently deceased members, including two MPs elected this year. Upon resuming at noon, the session was again adjourned due to opposition protests.
Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge, in a social media post, urged that the government’s first action as the Parliament session commenced should be to thoroughly discuss the Adani matter, which he believes could damage India’s global reputation.
Kharge further stated, “This country does not need monopolies and cartels. What we need is a healthy, market-driven competition in the private sector that promotes equal opportunities, employment, and fair wealth distribution, thus nurturing India’s inherent entrepreneurial spirit.”
Prime Minister Narendra Modi, addressing the media before the session, criticized the INDIA bloc for consistently disrupting parliamentary proceedings. He expressed hope that new members from all parties would have the opportunity to present their ideas during the Winter Session.
The Prime Minister’s administration has tabled 16 bills for the session, including the Waqf Act Amendment Bill, which is scheduled to conclude on December 20.
The agenda includes five bills slated for introduction, consideration, and passage, while ten are set for consideration and passage, as per the Lok Sabha bulletin.
