Is Winter Session of Parliament in for a washout?

For the second day in a row, both the Houses of the Parliament could only conduct minimal business and were adjourned for the day soon after the session commenced. The raucous beginning signals that the Winter Session — the last one before 2019 elections — is heading for a complete washout without conducting much legislative business.

The Lower House saw two brief adjournments before it was over for the day. The members of the House started the day by paying tributes to those who lost their lives during the 2001 Parliament attack. Members of the Congress then trooped into the Well of the House demanding a JPC probe into the Rafale deal. They were joined by members of other political parties — each protesting on different issues.

Congress MP from Punjab Sunil Jakhar chose a novel way to protest; he came to the Parliament wearing yellow vest — the one that is being used by the French public to protest against rising fuel prices.

"Exposing 'French Connection' #YellowVestProtests rage on the streets of France wore one to Parliament today to show solidarity with workers of HAL who stand to lose as Modi government handed over the Rafale offset contract to Anil Ambani's firm," Jakhar tweeted.

Despite repeated pleas, Lok Sabha Speaker Sumitra Mahajan failed to pacify protesting members. She got annoyed when TDP member Venkateshwara Rao used a mike in the Well to prop up a poster seeking special status for Andhra Pradesh. When Rao spurned her warnings, Mahajan adjourned the House for 20 minutes.

It convened again at 11:20 am, only for members to start sloganeering. Mahajan said that keeping 2019 in mind, members should try to raise crucial issues and must make use of House rules to discuss their issues. But all her pleas went in vain.

Apart from the Congress, the TDP has been demanding special status for Andhra Pradesh, Shiv Sena wants a law to be enacted for constructing Ram temple and AIADMK wants to discuss the Cauvery dispute.

In Rajya Sabha, statements pertaining to Women and Child Development Ministry, Environment Ministry, and Ministry of Human Resource Development were tabled in the House. However, before any other business could begin, members of AIADMK, DMK, YSR Congress began protests in the Well of the House. CPI and CPI(M) members joined the protest seeking central assistance to help rebuild flood-hit Kerala.

Naidu urged members to let the work continue in memory of those killed in Parliament attack anniversary. "Today, just now, we all have paid tributes to the nine people who had given their lives to protect us, to protect the Parliament, and we don't allow the Parliament to function...this is not fair. Nine people had given their lives to protect us."

Naidu's plea was not heeded and disruptions continued and the chairman adjourned the House for the day.