The Rajya Sabha’s monsoon session on 1 August descended into disorder as repeated slogans over Bihar’s Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of the electoral roll drowned out proceedings.
Ghanshyam Tiwari, who chaired the afternoon session, adjourned the House until Monday after failing to restore order.
Trouble began when Congress MP Vivek Tankha rose to speak, but Opposition members drowned out his words with chants of ‘Vote ki chori band karo!’
Despite Tiwari’s appeals for calm, the disruption grew, rendering dialogue impossible.
Tankha, clearly frustrated, turned to the Chair, asking, “The House is not in order. What do I do?” before Union Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw attempted to respond, also in vain.
Deputy Chairman Harivansh heightened tensions earlier in the day by announcing the rejection of 30 notices under Rule 267 for not meeting procedural requirements.
Opposition MPs accused the Chair of stifling debate on critical public concerns.
Broad Opposition Coalition United in Protest
Parties including the Trinamool Congress, RJD, DMK, Congress, SP, CPI(M), and AAP united in demanding debate on the SIR, alleging that lakhs of voters in Bihar were being unjustly excluded.
MPs from West Bengal raised concerns over discrimination against Bengali workers, while others sought discussions on women’s safety, mass layoffs in the IT sector, and religious tensions in Chhattisgarh.
Repeated interventions, including those by Manoj Kumar Jha and Sanjay Singh, failed to restore order.
As chants intensified—’Vote chori band karo’ and ‘Kesariya pe halla bol’—the Speaker warned: “The whole nation is watching. You are not allowing people’s issues to be raised.”
With no resolution in sight, Tiwari adjourned the House until 4 August, leaving legislative business in limbo.
Despite the chaos, several ministers—including Dr L Murugan, Ravneet Singh, and others—managed to table reports on rural development and railways.
The government outlined its upcoming legislative agenda, including the Coastal Shipping Bill, the Indian Sports Bill, and the Appropriation Bill for Manipur, among others.
With tempers still high and procedural deadlock unresolved, the Rajya Sabha reconvenes next week under continued pressure.
The Opposition remains adamant on addressing electoral and civil issues, while the Chair stands firm on procedural discipline.
Also Read: Opposition MPs Urge Lok Sabha Speaker To Hold Urgent Debate On Voter List Revision
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