“Introspect”: Venkaiah Naidu As Protests Force Parliament Session To End

Winter Session of Parliament began on Nov 29 and was scheduled to conclude on Dec 23.

New Delhi:

Rajya Sabha was adjourned indefinitely today, a day ahead of its original schedule, marking the end of the Winter Session of Parliament. The session in the Lok Sabha was brought to an end as well. Both Rajya Sabha Chairman Venkaiah Naidu and Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla decided to conclude the session amid continuous protests by the Opposition.

Soon after laying of the listed papers and reports, Rajya Sabha Chairman M Venkaiah Naidu adjourned the House indefinitely. The Upper House had witnessed several disruptions during the session following the suspension of 12 opposition party members for their “unruly” conduct in the previous session in August.

“The Rajya Sabha functioned much below its potential,” Chairman Venkaiah Naidu said. “I urge you to introspect and reflect how this session could have been different and better. I have a very critical view,” Mr Naidu added during his address to MPs.

Rajya Sabha witnessed continuous protests by the Opposition over the suspension of 12 MPs as well as demand to remove the junior Home Minister over the Lakhimpur Kheri violence. The session also saw protests over the hurried manner in which bills were passed, especially the important electoral reforms bill which asks to link the voter ID card to the Aadhaar card.

The Winter Session had 18 sittings and witnessed the passage of key legislations such as the Farm Laws Repeal Bill and the Election Laws (Amendment) Bill.

The session lost 18 hours and 48 minutes to disruption by opposition members on a range of issues such as price rise and Lakhimpur Kheri violence.

Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla said the lower house witnessed record productivity of 204 per cent on December 2.

The Winter Session of Parliament had begun on November 29 and was scheduled to conclude on December 23.