Rajya Sabha adjourned amid Opposition sloganeering during Zero Hour
Synopsis
The Rajya Sabha could not complete Zero Hour on 5 August as Opposition members flooded the well and refused to stand down despite a direct warning from Chairman C.P. Radhakrishnan citing Rule 235. The brief adjournment cut short debates on hydrogen trains, medicine price profiteering of up to 1,100 per cent, and health insurance complexity — issues that affect millions of ordinary citizens.
Key Takeaways
Rajya Sabha was adjourned till noon on 5 August after Opposition members sloganeered in the well during Zero Hour .
Radhakrishnan warned members that continued disruption would violate Rule 235 of the House.
Dr Medha Vishram Kulkarni flagged medicine price profiteering ranging from 600 to 1,100 per cent due to weak regulation.
Kavita Patidar called for simplified language and greater transparency in the Swasthya Bima health insurance policy.
Sanjay Bhatia sought extension of India's first hydrogen fuel train route to Jind-Panipat-Rohtak for farmers' benefit.
Papers from five ministries were tabled at 11 am before proceedings were disrupted.
The Rajya Sabha was adjourned briefly till noon on Wednesday, 5 August after Opposition members resorted to repeated sloganeering and rushed into the well of the House during Zero Hour, disrupting proceedings. Chairman C.P. Radhakrishnan warned unruly members before ultimately suspending the session.
Disruptions in the House
As members began raising issues following the laying of papers, Opposition MPs moved into the well and raised slogans, refusing to return to their seats despite the Chairman's repeated appeals. Chairman Radhakrishnan cautioned them directly, stating: 'Don't force me to take action against you; it is against Rule 235 of the House.' The warning went unheeded, and sloganeering continued through multiple members' speeches.
When Dr M. Thambidurai of the All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (AIADMK) from Tamil Nadu rose to speak, Opposition members again pressed for permission to address the House. The Chairman offered to allow them to speak only after they returned to their seats — a condition they declined to meet.
Key Issues Raised by Members
Paul Sharma of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) spoke on the government's achievements in Jammu and Kashmir. Sanjay Bhatia of the BJP from Haryana highlighted the launch of India's first hydrogen fuel train and sought an extension of its route to Jind-Panipat-Rohtak, arguing it would benefit farmers in the region.
Sangeeta Balwant of the BJP from Uttar Pradesh drew attention to private firm Skyroot's achievement of launching a rocket into space. Dr V. Sivadasan of the Communist Party of India (Marxist) from Kerala raised the issue of private educational institutions issuing notices to students who had participated in a students' protest in Delhi. The Chairman intervened, warning him that deviation from the subject would result in his remarks being struck from the record.
Health Insurance and Medicine Pricing Concerns
Kavita Patidar of the BJP from Madhya Pradesh flagged difficulties faced by ordinary citizens with the Swasthya Bima health insurance policy. She urged the government to simplify policy language, improve transparency, reduce documentation burdens, and enforce greater accountability among insurance companies so that more citizens can access benefits.
Dr Medha Vishram Kulkarni from Maharashtra raised the issue of wide price disparities across medicines, noting that in the absence of stringent regulation, profiteering ranged from 600 to 1,100 per cent. Citing Prime Minister Narendra Modi's emphasis on generic medicines, she called for adoption of global pricing benchmarks and urged that doctors and chemists be mandated to prescribe only generic medicines.
Papers Tabled and Adjournment
When the House assembled at 11 am, papers relating to the Ministries of Education, Social Justice and Empowerment, Home Affairs, Road Transport and Highways, and Women and Child Development were tabled by Jayant Chaudhary, Ramdas Bandu Athawale, Nityanand Rai, B.L. Verma, Ajay Tamta, and Savitri Thakur respectively.
Anil Kumar Yadav Mandadi tabled the report of the Department-related Parliamentary Standing Committee on Coal, Mines and Steel (2025-26), dealing with action taken on the committee's recommendations on Demands for Grants (2026-27) for the Ministry of Steel. Baidyanath Ram tabled two reports of the Standing Committee on Rural Development and Panchayati Raj.
After the Opposition raised a point of order — which the Chairman declined — and before Rajiv Kumar could properly address the House, Chairman Radhakrishnan adjourned the Rajya Sabha till noon. The session underscores an ongoing pattern of legislative disruption that has repeatedly curtailed productive floor time this session.
Point of View
Not an aberration — and the cost is borne by the legislative agenda, not by the members causing disruption. On this occasion, substantive issues with real citizen impact — runaway medicine pricing, opaque health insurance terms, and a hydrogen train rollout — were crowded out by political theatre. Chairman Radhakrishnan's invocation of Rule 235 is procedurally correct but historically ineffective as a deterrent. Until the House adopts automatic, enforceable consequences for well-invasions, the cycle will repeat. The deeper question is whether Parliament's rules are genuinely designed to protect floor time or merely to give the Chair a script to read before adjourning.
NationPress
5 Aug 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
Why was the Rajya Sabha adjourned on 5 August 2025?
The Rajya Sabha was adjourned till noon on 5 August 2025 because Opposition members entered the well of the House and continued sloganeering during Zero Hour, refusing to return to their seats despite repeated warnings from Chairman C.P. Radhakrishnan. The Chairman eventually suspended the session after a declined point of order.
What is Rule 235 of the Rajya Sabha?
Rule 235 of the Rajya Sabha governs the conduct of members and empowers the Chairman to take disciplinary action against those who disrupt proceedings. Chairman C.P. Radhakrishnan cited it on 5 August to warn Opposition members against continued sloganeering in the well of the House.
What issues were raised during Zero Hour before the adjournment?
Members raised several issues including India's first hydrogen fuel train route extension, private firm Skyroot's space rocket launch, notices issued to students who protested in Delhi, health insurance policy complexity under Swasthya Bima, and medicine price disparities ranging from 600 to 1,100 per cent due to weak regulation.
Who raised the issue of medicine price profiteering in the Rajya Sabha?
Dr Medha Vishram Kulkarni from Maharashtra raised the issue, pointing out that in the absence of stringent laws, profiteering on medicines ranged from 600 to 1,100 per cent. She called for global pricing benchmarks and mandatory prescription of generic medicines by doctors and chemists.
What papers were tabled in the Rajya Sabha on 5 August?
Papers from the Ministries of Education, Social Justice and Empowerment, Home Affairs, Road Transport and Highways, and Women and Child Development were tabled. Additionally, the Standing Committee report on Coal, Mines and Steel (2025-26) and two reports of the Standing Committee on Rural Development and Panchayati Raj were placed on record.
