Is Day 2 of Parliament overshadowed by the ‘SIR’ controversy?

New Delhi, July 22 (NationPress) Both the Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha were suspended for the day on Tuesday due to ongoing protests from the Opposition regarding the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) initiative in Bihar and the unexpected resignation of Vice President Jagdeep Dhankhar. The sessions are set to resume on Wednesday.

The adjournments occurred shortly after the Houses reconvened, first delaying proceedings until noon and then until 2 p.m., ultimately closing for the day.

Before Day 2 began, opposition members held a united protest outside the ‘Makar Dwar’ of Parliament, expressing their concerns over the alleged biased and partisan nature of the SIR exercise by the Election Commission of India in Bihar, which is gearing up for elections. Prominent leaders such as Rahul Gandhi and Akhilesh Yadav were seen displaying posters and placards that accused the commission of manipulating electoral rolls.

In the Rajya Sabha, morning discussions were interrupted due to the uproar from Opposition members, who demanded a conversation concerning specific issues, including the voter verification drive in Bihar as part of the SIR and the abrupt resignation of Jagdeep Dhankhar.

When Deputy Chairman Harivansh dismissed the adjournment requests from the Opposition, including one regarding Dhankhar's resignation, it led to chaos as members chanted slogans and entered the well of the House to protest against the rejection.

The House was briefly suspended until noon. Upon reconvening, the session was again engulfed in disorder, leading to another adjournment until 2 p.m., and ultimately for the remainder of the day.

The Lok Sabha faced similar disruptions for the second consecutive day, with the Opposition vocally demanding a debate on pressing concerns. Opposition MPs stood up, shouting demands for urgent discussions on SIR and Operation Sindoor, but Speaker Om Birla denied their requests.

As disarray escalated, the Speaker first adjourned the House until noon, then until 2 p.m., and eventually for the entire day.

When the Lower House reconvened at 2 p.m., Parliamentary Affairs Minister Kiren Rijiju criticized the Opposition's disruptive behavior, condemning them for obstructing the House proceedings.

Rijiju accused the Opposition of intentionally creating interruptions, stating that an agreement was made during the Business Advisory Committee (BAC) meeting on Monday to discuss the Pahalgam attack and Operation Sindoor, but the Opposition chose to divert attention towards the SIR.

“The BAC meeting concluded with a set agenda for discussing Operation Sindoor. We cannot address every issue simultaneously. Yet, instead of cooperating, they disrupted the House with placards,” Rijiju asserted.

“We arrive prepared with legislative matters, while the Opposition only seeks to cause disturbances,” he added, accusing them of squandering taxpayer resources.

Notably, the Parliament has had a turbulent start to this Monsoon Session. Day 1 was characterized by loud protests from the Opposition, which called for urgent discussions on the Pahalgam terror attack, Operation Sindoor, and the SIR initiative in Bihar.

Day 2 was similarly chaotic, with both Houses operating for only a few minutes. Tuesday’s turmoil was heightened by Jagdeep Dhankhar's resignation as Vice President, citing health issues.