Showdown in Parliament over discussion on Kumbh stampede

Opposition parties on Monday walked out of the Rajya Sabha after the chair did not accept their demand for an immediate discussion on alleged mismanagement at the Maha Kumbh where a stampede led to several people being killed last week.

Lok Sabha also witnessed prolonged noisy protests by opposition parties demanding a discussion on the stampede and a list of those deceased.

Rajya Sabha

After his opening statement, Chairman Jagdeep Dhankhar said he has received nine notices under Rule 267 for suspending the listed business of the day and taking up issues mentioned in the notices, including a discussion on Maha Kumbh matter.

Pramod Tiwari and Digvijaya Singh (Congress), Sagarika Ghose (Trinamool Congress), Javed Ali and Ramji Lal Suman (Samajwadi Party), and John Brittas (Communist Party of India) had given notices demanding a discussion on the Maha Kumbh issue.

The other notices related to 'accelerating incidents of disrespect towards the Constitution an B R Ambedkar', and 'discriminatory and casteist statements made by Union Minister of State of Petroleum and Natural Gas'.

Citing his earlier rulings regarding notices under Rule 267, Dhankhar did not approve the notices, and went ahead with the scheduled Zero Hour during which members raise issues with the chair's permission.

The rejection of the notices led to vociferous protests by opposition party MPs, including those from the Congress, the SP, the Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam, the Aam Aadmi Party, the Rashtriya Janata Dal, the CPI and the Communist Party of India-Marxist, in the morning session.

Several MPs raised slogans in their effort to highlight the stampede at the Maha Kumbh on Mauni Amavasya in which at least 30 people were killed.

They then staged a walkout. The House continued with Zero Hour mentions.

Earlier in the morning, Dhankhar said Rajya Sabha is a milestone in the country's constitutional journey and appealed to MPs to ensure their conduct in the House is exemplary.

The House is scheduled to take up the 'Motion of Thanks on the President's Address' on Monday. A total of 15 hours has been allocated for this.

Lok Sabha

When the House met for the first time after the President's address to the joint sitting and presentation of the 2025-26 budget, the opposition MPs led by Congress were on their feet and demanded a discussion on the recent tragedy in Maha Kumbh.

Soon the opposition members stormed the well of the House resorting to noisy protests and sloganeering.

Led by deputy leader of Congress in Lok Sabha Gaurav Gogoi and Congress general secretary K C Venugopal, the opposition members also sought suspension of the Question Hour and demanded a discussion on the stampede.

The opposition MPs also sought a complete list of those who died in the stampede.

Speaker Om Birla told the protesting members that they can raise their issues during the debate on motion of thanks to the President for her address to the joint sitting.

"The Honourable President had referred to the tragedy at Maha Kumbh. You can raise your issues during the debate," he said.

Birla said the Question Hour, where important issues are discussed, should not be disrupted and the opposition members should allow the House to run smoothly.

"Arrangement should be made for smooth functioning of the Question Hour as members wait for days for their turn to participate in the discussion," he said.

"However, you don't want the House to run properly. Have people elected you to disrupt the House and raise slogans," he said.

Parliamentary Affairs Minister Kiren Rijiju condemned the "behaviour" of the opposition members, saying such disruption and disturbance was not good.

"You (Speaker) have repeatedly appealed to them (opposition) but they are not listening," he said.

As the opposition continued their protests throughout the Question Hour from 11 am to 12 noon, Birla later said that there should be a resolution that there is no disruption during the Question Hour and the House should run smoothly during this time.

"We should make arrangements that all concerned issues should be raised after 12 noon (zero hour)," he said.

Opposition members, including those from the Congress, the DMK, the TMC and the SP, walked out briefly after conclusion of the Question Hour. They returned later.