New Delhi: The Lok Sabha plunged into chaos once again on Tuesday, the second day of the Parliament’s Winter Session, as Opposition members continued their loud protests demanding a discussion on the ongoing Special Intensive Review (SIR) of electoral rolls being carried out across several states and union territories.
As soon as the Question Hour began, Opposition MPs rose from their seats and started shouting slogans of ‘SIR pe charcha karo’, calling for an immediate debate on the issue.
Despite repeated requests from Speaker Om Birla to take their seats and allow the proceedings to continue, the sloganeering persisted.
Expressing displeasure over the conduct inside and outside the House, the Speaker remarked, “The kind of behaviour I am seeing here today in the House and even outside the House, how the MPs are speaking about the Parliament is against the Parliament as well as the nation… The country is watching… There are oppositions in a democracy, but there should be dignity and decorum.”
“As the largest democracy in the world, which guides the world, our Parliamentary traditions and dignity should also be of the highest standards,” he added.
With the protests showing no signs of easing, the House was adjourned till noon amid continuous uproar.
The Winter Session had already begun on a turbulent note on Monday, when the Lok Sabha witnessed renewed protests over allegations of “vote chori” in the recently concluded Bihar Assembly elections, as well as concerns raised over the SIR process.
Ahead of the start of the Winter Session on Monday, Prime Minister Narendra Modi cautioned parliamentarians against disorderly behaviour, remarking that there should be no “drama” in the House and asserting that parliamentary focus must remain on policymaking rather than slogan-shouting.
Addressing reporters ahead of the Winter Session, he said, “There are a lot of places to do drama; anyone who wants to do it can continue with it. There should be delivery here and not drama. Even for the slogans, the entire nation is available; raise the slogans wherever you want; you raised it where you were defeated, now raise it where you will be defeated. However, here, the focus should be on policy, not slogans.”
(IANS)
