Parliament Winter Session: Priyanka Takes Oath; Lok Sabha Extends JPC Term For Waqf Bill Till 2025 — Updates

Lok Sabha adopted a resolution granting extension to the Joint Committee on Waqf Amendment Bill till the last day of the Budget 2025 Session

The fourth day of the Parliament Winter Session witnessed repeated disruptions as both the Rajya Sabha and the Lok Sabha were adjourned within minutes of convening. The first adjournment happened just minutes after it was convened and later after the houses reconvened at 12 noon amid protests by the Opposition. 

The highlight of today's session was Congress leader Priyanka Gandhi Vadra's Parliament debut, who took oath as the Wayanad MP after winning the bypoll last week. Another highlight was the adoption of a resolution by the Lok Sabha granting extension to the Joint Committee on Waqf Amendment Bill till the last day of the Budget 2025 Session.  

Here's what happened on Day 4 of Parliament's Winter Session:

• As the session began, Congress MP Randeep Surjewala demanded discussion on industrialist Gautam Adani's US indictment. He submitted a suspension of business notice in the Rajya Sabha under Rule 267 for the discussion. This rule allows MPs to submit a written notice to suspend the listed business scheduled for the day and instead discuss urgent matters that require attention.
  
  


• Similarly, Aam Aadmi Party MP Sanjay Singh and Congress MP Syed Naseer Hussain sought for a discussion on the Adani controversy under Rule 267 in the Rajya Sabha.
  
  


•  Congress leader Priyanka Gandhi Vadra took oath as Wayanad MP. She took oath as the Lok Sabha MP wearing a traditional Kasavu saree from Kerala and holding a Constitution copy in her hand. Her husband, Robert Vadra, children Raihan and Miraya Vadra, and Congress chief Mallikarjun Kharge were also present in the gallery of the Lower House for her swearing-in ceremony.
  
  
  
  


•  After her, Congress's Ravindra Vasantrao Chavan also took oath as the Lok Sabha MP from Nanded in Maharashtra. 
  
  
  
  


• Shortly after the two Congress leaders took oath, the Lok Sabha saw disruptions as Opposition members gathered in the well demanding action against those involved in the Sambhal violence.
  
  


• Following this, Parliamentary Affairs Minister condemned the Opposition leaders' actions, saying, "I condemn the attempts by the Congress and its allies in disrupting the House proceedings".  However, when the protests continued, Telugu Desam Party (TDP) MP Krishna Prasad Tenneti, who was in the chair, adjourned the Lok Sabha proceedings for the day.
  
  


• Meanwhile, in the Rajya Sabha, Chairman Jagdeep Dhankar, amid protests by the Opposition over Adani issue, appealed that the disruptions in the Parliament would only weeken the foundation of India's democracy.
  
  


• The proceedings in the Rajya Sabha were adjourned again within minutes after the session began at 12 noon after the 50-minute adjournment after 11 AM.
  
  


• Dhankar further stated that the House missed an opportunity to participate in a productive dialogue, saying the chamber was more thna just a house of debate. "This was a moment for our House of Elders, guided by the spirit of nationalism, to send a powerful message of hope to 1.4 billion Indians, reaffirming our commitment to their dreams and journey towards Viksit Bharat at 2047," he said.
  
  "Yet, with deep regret, I must say we missed this historic opportunity. Where there should have been productive dialogue echoing the collective aspirations of our nation, we fell short of our people's expectations," he added.
  
  


• He urged the members of the Opposition to engage in "thoughtful discussion and deliberation" as he requested the leaders protesting against the rejection of adjournment notices for discussions on the Adani issue and violence in Sambhal and Manipur, to cooperate. When they did not obey and the protests continued, Dhankar adjourned the House for the day. The Upper House will reconvene at 11 AM on Friday.
  
  


• The Rajya Sabha Chairman had received 16 notices for adjournment of scheduled business under Rule 267. These notices were for discussions on the allegations of bribery against the Adani Group, communal violence in Sambhal, and the recent ethnic clashes in Manipur.
  
  


• AAP leader Sanjay Singh and Congress's Randeep Singh Surjewala, Pramod Tiwari, Syed Naseer Hussain, Akhilesh Prasad Singh, Anil Kumar Yadav Mandadi, and Ranjeet Ranjan had given notices for discussing the Adani issue.
  
  DMK's Tiruchi Siva and CPI leaders Sandosh Kumar P and PP Suneer had given notices to discuss Manipur violence.
  
  CPI (M) leaders John Brittas and AA Rahim, Samajwadi Party's Ram Gopal Yadav and Ramji Lal Suman, Congress leader Hussain, and Abdul Wahab of the Indian Union Muslim League had given notices for discussing Sambhal violence.
  
  


• The schedule for today in Lok Sabha included: The Disaster Management (Amendment) Bill, 2024 to be moved by Amit Shah, The Banking Laws (Amendment) Bill, 2024, to be moved by Nirmala Sitharaman, and The Railways (Amendment) Bill, 2024 to be moved by Ashwini Vaishnaw.