Lok Sabha adjourned till 2 pm as government delays discussion on SIR

A fresh wave of tumult swept through the Lok Sabha on Tuesday, with proceedings derailed almost as soon as they began. The Opposition, resolute and vocal, rose in fierce protest against the government’s continued reluctance to hold an immediate discussion on the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls.

Zero Hour — ordinarily a space for urgent public issues — barely lasted ten minutes. As routine papers and committee reports were placed on the table, the chamber erupted with chants from Congress and allied Opposition members, their slogans echoing off the high domed ceiling as they demanded accountability and transparency on the contentious SIR exercise.

Parliamentary affairs minister Kiren Rijiju rebuked the protesting MPs and appealed for order, but stopped short of addressing the core issue — the government has yet to allot time for the discussion demanded by the Opposition, despite invoking examples such as Atal Bihari Vajpayee’s electoral defeats to counter Congress’ protests.

With an increasingly defensive tone, he took a jab at the Opposition’s recent setbacks, claiming they were “losing the confidence of the people”, while still refusing to accept the terms under which the Opposition sought a discussion.

But with the government refusing to oblige, the relentless din drowned out all attempts at negotiation. Within minutes, the Speaker had no choice but to adjourn the sitting till 2 pm, marking yet another disrupted day in the Winter Session.

Earlier too, the House had been forced into a premature adjournment till noon, mirroring Monday’s repeatedly stalled proceedings.

Thus, for the second consecutive day, Parliament found itself gridlocked, the clash over SIR tightening its hold, and the Opposition’s demand for debate ringing louder with each adjournment.

With PTI inputs