Lok Sabha, Rajya Sabha Adjourned Following Pegasus Protests, Some Bills Passed

As has been the case during the Monsoon Session this year, both Houses of Parliament ran mostly disrupted on Wednesday with the Opposition demanding a debate on the Pegasus snooping controversy. Some bills were passed, however.

Lok Sabha:

Lok Sabha proceedings were adjourned for the day on Wednesday after the passage of two bills, amid vociferous protests by the opposition over Pegasus snooping allegations and other issues.

As soon as the House met again at 3.30 pm, Rajendra Agrawal, who was chairing the proceedings, took up the Coconut Development Board (Amendment) Bill, 2021, which was moved by Agriculture Minister Narendra Singh Tomar.

However, the opposition members continued their protest on the Pegasus snooping row as well other matters.

Amid the din, Tomar moved the bill, saying the proposed legislation will benefit coconut farmers in different states. Soon thereafter, the bill was passed without debate even as the opposition objected to the hasty approval to the bill. The bill has already been approved by the Rajya Sabha.

As the opposition uproar continued, Agrawal adjourned the proceedings for the day.

The House will meet again at 11 am on Thursday.

Earlier in the day, the House had given its nod to the Commission for Air Quality Management in National Capital Region and Adjoining Areas Bill, 2021. The bill was moved by Environment Minister Bhupender Yadav for consideration and passage.

Amid sloganeering by opposition members, the Lok Sabha witnessed repeated adjournments.

When the House met in the morning, Speaker Om Birla made obituary references for eight former members of Lok Sabha who died recently.

As a mark of respect for the departed souls, the Speaker along with the members present in the House stood in silence for a brief while.

Rajya Sabha:

Rajya Sabha proceedings were adjourned till Thursday amid continuous protests by opposition parties over the Pegasus snooping controversy and issues of farm laws and price rise.

However, the Upper House passed the Airports Economic Regulatory Authority of India (Amendment) Bill, 2021, which seeks to encourage smaller airports to expand air connectivity to relatively remote and far-flung areas.

The House passed the bill after a brief discussion amid protest and sloganeering by the opposition over various issues, including the Pegasus snooping controversy and farm laws.

The Lok Sabha had passed the Airports Economic Regulatory Authority of India (Amendment) Bill, 2021, on July 29.

When the Upper House assembled after a 15-minute adjournment at 2:56 pm, the opposition continued to protest.

Deputy Chairman Harivansh Narayan Singh, who was in the chair, called members for debate on the bill.

After a short debate and a brief reply from the Civil Aviation Minister Jyotiraditya Scindia, the Airports Economic Regulatory Authority of India (Amendment) Bill, 2021 was passed with a voice vote.

Immediately after that the deputy chairman adjourned the House till Thursday 11 am.

Earlier, the House passed two bills – the Limited Liability Partnership (Amendment) Bill, 2021 and the Deposit Insurance and Credit Guarantee Corporation (Amendment) Bill, 2021 – after short debates amid the din.

As opposition members continued raising slogans, the deputy chairman adjourned the proceedings of the House for 15 minutes till 2.56 pm.

He also warned members not to record proceedings on mobile phones as it was against the rules of the Rajya Sabha.

Earlier, the proceedings of the House were adjourned till 2 pm as slogan-shouting MLAs of the TMC and other opposition parties trooped into the Well, some holding placards, to demand a discussion on the issue of Pegasus spyware being used to snoop on opposition leaders, government critics and journalists.