Rajya Sabha adjourned till 2 pm as Opposition protests disrupt Question Hour

The Rajya Sabha was adjourned till 2 pm on Monday after persistent Opposition protests once again drowned out proceedings, bringing Question Hour to a halt amid slogans demanding the presence and resignation of Union home minister Amit Shah.

The House reconvened at noon following a brief earlier adjournment, with chairman C.P. Radhakrishnan allowing Question Hour to begin. However, Opposition members soon raised slogans including “Grih Mantri Sadan Me Aao”, “Isteefa Do” and “LOP ko bolne Do”, plunging the chamber into a noisy confrontation.

Amid the din, Union power minister Manohar Lal attempted to respond to questions concerning reforms under the Electricity (Amendment) Rules, 2026. His replies, however, were largely drowned out by the sustained sloganeering from the Opposition benches.

Power supply takes centre stage

BJP member Laxmi Verma from Chhattisgarh raised her maiden question, asking whether the government planned to establish a power plant in any part of the state.

Pointing to Baloda Bazar, a major cement manufacturing hub, she highlighted the need for adequate power infrastructure to support industrial expansion in the region.

In his response, Manohar Lal said there was currently no shortage of electricity anywhere in the country.

He told the House that India had successfully met its highest-ever peak power demand of 270.8 GW and had an available generation capacity of 284 GW.

The government, he said, was preparing to meet an anticipated peak demand of 300 GW next year. While each state has its own power plans, Chhattisgarh itself was not facing a power shortage, he said.

If specific local problems arose due to delays in power projects, the government would examine and address them once they were brought to its notice, the minister added.

Protests overshadow proceedings

Despite repeated appeals from the Chair, Opposition members continued their protest, leaving little room for a meaningful Question Hour.

With the uproar showing no sign of easing, Chairman Radhakrishnan eventually adjourned the House until 2 pm.

The disruption reflects the continuing political deadlock between the treasury benches and the Opposition, which is demanding discussions on several contentious issues, including the alleged police action against student protesters during the 20 July demonstration in Delhi.

Opposition members have also been pressing for statements from the prime minister and home minister on the alleged police action, among other issues.

The repeated disruptions have continued to cast a shadow over parliamentary proceedings, with legislative business frequently taking place amid protests and sloganeering.

The Rajya Sabha is scheduled to reconvene at 2 pm for further business.

With IANS inputs