Lok Sabha Adjourned Twice in a Single Day: Why the Opposition Insisted on Amit Shah's Presence
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Lok Sabha Adjourned: The Lower House disrupted twice as the Opposition demanded Union Home Minister Amit Shah's presence over the NEET protest and RAF action.
By Pranjal Gupta
New Delhi, July 29: Within minutes of Lok Sabha beginning the proceedings on Wednesday, it was adjourned till 2 pm due to the absence of Union Home Minister Amit Shah. The Opposition leaders argued that Shah must remain present in the Lower House to address the incident of firing at students during the NEET-UG protest at Jantar Mantar, New Delhi. With slogans of "where is home minister," a wave of chaos took over the Parliament, leading to a pause till 2 pm.
The Rapid Action Force (RAF) fired multiple non-lethal munitions, including two rounds of plastic pellets, under permission from a Delhi Police officer while controlling a mob near Jantar Mantar during the July 20 'Sansad Chalo' march by protesters on the NEET paper leak issue, officials said on Tuesday, citing official police records.
The RAF is a specialised anti-riot wing of the Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF). The CRPF is a Central Armed Police Force (CAPF) that falls entirely under the command and authority of the Union Home Ministry. Therefore, the Opposition pressed for Amit Shah's presence in the Parliament.
What Opposition Said
Congress MP Renuka Chowdhury questioned about the home minister, and was joined by other Opposition leaders in demanding his presence in the House. "Where is the Home Minister? Call him here," Chowdhury said.
"You fire at students..." she said, as slogans were raised demanding Shah to come to the House.
Following this, Chairman C P Radhakrishnan adjourned the House till 2 pm.
Adjourned Twice on Single Day
Earlier, the House was adjourned for about 40 minutes till 12 noon amid uproar by Opposition members over the entry of Delhi Police at the CPI(M) office in the national capital to arrest former JNUSU President Aishe Ghosh.
The incident took place on Tuesday.
Soon after listed papers were laid, CPI (M) Member John Brittas raised the issue, saying a Delhi Police team, in plain clothes, entered the party office to arrest Ghosh in the 2021 protest case in JNU.
Brittas sought to relate the police action to the recent students' protest, saying Ghosh's only mistake was that she participated in the Jantar Mantar protest.
Supporting him, Leader of Opposition Mallikarjun Kharge said democracy was under threat.
Responding to the charges, Leader of the House J P Nadda said it was a normal law and order case.
He said the police had to act accordingly, and the "police has acted accordingly".
The Union minister also said that any student who indulges in activism faces such actions. The Rajya Sabha has been witnessing repeated disruptions since the beginning of the monsoon session on July 20.
(With inputs from news agency PTI)
