Crores going waste due to disruptions, says LS Speaker

Tribune News Service

New Delhi, August 2

Proceedings in both Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha were hit on Monday as Opposition MPs continued their protest over farmers’ issues and Pegasus snooping row.

Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla expressed anguish over the House functioning getting affected due to continued protest by Opposition MPs. He said public money worth crores was going waste due to the non-functioning of the Lok Sabha.

“For the past two weeks, there have been regular disruptions of proceedings. Crores are being spent to ensure there is debate in the House... I again urge the protesting members to cooperate in the smooth functioning of the House,” he said. Opposition MPs, however, continued to protest in the Well, holding placards.

Birla, who tried to run the question hour for 30 minutes amid the pandemonium, requested the protesting members to return to their seats saying he would allow considerable time and opportunity to them to put forth their views.

Even as the Rajya Sabha functioning also continued to be marred by disturbances due to Opposition protests, Chairman M Venkaiah Naidu led the House to congratulate badminton ace PV Sindhu for winning a bronze medal at the Tokyo Olympics.

However, Opposition members soon thereafter started raising slogans against the government. Before adjourning the proceedings till 12 noon, Naidu said he was willing to consider a discussion on farmers’ problems, provided the members do not disturb proceedings and cooperate, which the Opposition MPs did not heed to.

Opposition members did not relent even when the House re-assembled at 12 noon, thus forcing the Deputy Chairman to adjourn the proceedings again.

Defence Minister Rajnath Singh today reached out to the opposition for cooperation to run the Parliament. Sources said Rajnath today called Leader of Opposition in Rajya Sabha Mallikarjun Kharge and Leader of TMC in Lok Sabha Sudeep Bandopadhyay to seek support for smooth running of Parliament.

Naidu lauds Sindhu

With her performance, (PV) Sindhu has scripted history by becoming the first Indian women to win 2 Olympic Medals and that too in successive editions. — Venkaiah Naidu,

RS Chairman

Birla’s appeal

Crores are being spent to ensure there is debate in the House... I again urge the protesting members to cooperate in the smooth functioning of the House. — Om Birla, LS Speaker

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