Parliament adjourned amid chaos over 'Cong-Soros' link

Both Houses of Parliament were adjourned for the day after repeated disruptions amid uproarious scenes as members of treasury and opposition benches traded charges on the Soros and Adani issues.

IMAGE: Leader of Opposition in Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi along with Opposition MPs stage a protest during the Winter Session, at Parliament, in New Delhi on Tuesday. Photograph: ANI Photo

Rajya Sabha

As soon as the House met at 12 noon after the first adjournment, Leader of the House J P Nadda raised the issue of alleged links between the Congress leadership and billionaire investor George Soros, alleging they are conniving to destabilise the country.

Nadda, without naming Congress leader Sonia Gandhi who was present in the House, questioned her role as 'co-chair of an organisation funded by Soros' in destabilising the country.

This, he said, raised concerns about the country's internal and external security.

As Nadda made the remarks, treasury benches raised slogans against the Congress and demanded answers.

After this, Congress Deputy Leader of the House Pramod Tiwari rejected the allegations made by Nadda and raised the Adani issue, alleging the Adani group paid Rs 23,000 crore as bribes, as stated by a US Attorney.

By now, sloganeering had started from both sides and the Chairman adjourned the House for the day.

Lok Sabha

Parliamentary Affairs Minister Kiren Rijiju on Tuesday accused the Congress and its leadership of colluding with Soros and anti-India forces, plunging the Lok Sabha into chaos and leading to its adjournment.

Speaking during Zero Hour, Rijiju also hit out at Congress leaders for attacking the dignity of Parliament by coming to the House by wearing masks and jackets with caricatures.

Opposition members trooped into the Well as Rijiju made the remarks.

The minister said the Congress leaders' stalling of Parliament was also depriving other members of the House from raising issues related to their constituencies.

Earlier, BJP member Dilip Saikia, who was in the Chair, allowed laying of Parliamentary papers and reports of parliamentary standing committees on the table of the House.

Shipping Minister Sarbananda Sonowal introduced the Merchant Shipping Bill after responding to the objections raised by Congress member Manish Tewari and Trinamool Congress member Saugata Ray.

The Lok Sabha plunged into chaos soon after, prompting Saikia to adjourn the House for the day.