Govt pushes ahead withits agenda in Parliament as Oppn protest continues

 RS Dy Chairman rejects Oppn charge of CISF deployment in House  

PTI, New Delhi, Aug 5, 2025: The Union government on Tuesday pressed on with its agenda amid continued disruptions in Parliament due to the Opposition's demand for a discussion on the special intensive revision of electoral rolls in Bihar, as Lok Sabha passed a Bill and Rajya Sabha approved a couple of resolutions despite the din.

Parliamentary Affairs Minister Kiren Rijiju had said on Monday that the government will be compelled to push for Parliament's approval for its legislative agenda if the Opposition continued to obstruct its smooth functioning with its protests.

Lok Sabha passed 'The Readjustment of Representation of Scheduled Tribes in Assembly Constituencies of the State of Goa Bill, 2025' with a voice vote, the first draft legislation approved by the House in Parliament's Monsoon session which began on July 21. Union Law Minister Arjun Ram Meghwal moved for its consideration and passage amid the din in the House due to the Opposition's protest.

The Bill, which seeks to grant STs reservation in the state Assembly, was introduced in the House on this day in 2024 and had been pending since.

After the passage of the Bill, Sandhya Ray, who was in the chair, adjourned the proceedings for the day as protests by Opposition MPs continued unabated.

Rajya Sabha saw its first adjournment around 11.45 am, when it was  adjourned till 2 pm.

When Rajya Sabha met at 2 pm, Opposition MPs were on their feet demanding a discussion on the special intensive revision. Amid ruckus, Harivansh, who was in the Chair, took up two statutory resolutions, including one for extending the President's Rule in Manipur for another six months.

He said it was a Constitutional obligation, and told the members that the House has passed only one Bill in the session so far. The Chair also disallowed any remarks made by Opposition leaders on issues other than the resolution that was being taken.

Opposition MPs continued to raise slogans on the electoral roll revision issue, as a couple of members also tried to participate in the discussion on the resolution for extending President's Rule in Manipur beyond August 13.

The Rajya Sabha on Tuesday witnessed sharp exchanges between Opposition and treasury benches over deployment of security personnel in the House, with Deputy Chairman Harivansh asserting that no CISF personnel have been deployed to stop members from exercising their right to protest, as alleged by Congress leader Mallikarjun Kharge.

Harivansh also expressed concern over Leader of Opposition Kharge making public his letter to the Chair. He said Kharge's letter to him falls in "privileged communication" and should not have been shared with the media even before it had reached him.