New Delhi, Dec 1 (NationPress) The Winter Session of Parliament commenced with significant disruption on Monday, as the Lok Sabha had to adjourn until noon just moments after convening at 11 a.m., overwhelmed by persistent opposition demonstrations. As soon as the House gathered, Speaker Om Birla led the assembly in honoring five former parliamentarians who recently passed away. Among those remembered were Col. Sonaram Choudhary, the sitting Congress MP from Barmer, Rajasthan; the iconic actor and former BJP MP from Bikaner, Dharmendra; Prof. Vijay Kumar Malhotra (South Delhi); Prakash Jaiswal; and Ravi Kumar Naik (Panaji, Goa).

Speaker Birla referred to Dharmendra as an evergreen icon of Indian cinema who later dedicated his service to the nation as a parliamentarian, and emphasized that the veteran star's legacy would be cherished by generations to come. He noted Dharmendra's remarkable contributions to cinema that elevated India's artistic reputation and his subsequent role in public service.

The House also took a moment to congratulate Indian athletes and teams for their spectacular victories on the world stage.

Addressing the behavior within the House, Speaker Birla earnestly called for maintaining decorum. “This is the temple of the world’s largest democracy. It should not be a place for placards and banners. You were elected to voice public concerns through discussion, not through disruption,” he said, expressing disappointment that the Question Hour—a critical period for government accountability—was being systematically obstructed.

Despite the appeal, opposition members persisted in shouting slogans and displaying placards, demanding a discussion on the ongoing SIR (Special Intensive Revision) across 12 states and union territories, thereby hindering any legislative business.

In a brief interlude, as the Question Hour began, BJP member Anurag Sharma from Jhansi-Lalitpur managed to raise important questions regarding the Ken-Betwa River Linking Project. He requested the inclusion of additional Lalitpur areas in the project benefits, sought updates on the Environmental Impact Assessment report, including its findings on biodiversity, forest cover, and water resources, and pressed for details on mitigation measures, compensatory afforestation, soil and water conservation, rehabilitation of mined sites, and monitoring systems in the Jhansi and Lalitpur regions.

Minister of Environment, Forest and Climate Change, Bhupender Yadav, responded succinctly, suggesting that state-specific concerns be addressed with the Uttar Pradesh government.

As the uproar escalated, Speaker Om Birla cautioned that he would have no choice but to adjourn the House.

When the protests showed no signs of abating, he adjourned proceedings until noon.

This tumultuous opening has once again raised concerns about the productivity of the crucial Winter Session, which is packed with several significant legislative items on its agenda.