The Rajya Sabha on Monday was adjourned within an hour of the Monsoon Session of Parliament amid a discussion initiated by Leader of Opposition Mallikarjun Kharge about the protest of a protest group known as the Cockroach Janta Party (CJP) at Jantar Mantar, New Delhi over alleged cheating in various competitive examination papers.
In his address to the House, Kharge charged that the Centre was trying to put down students who are asking for accountability of the government and resignation of Union Minister for Education Dharmendra Pradhan.
“I am not talking about the future of thousands of students. I am talking about future of lakhs of children, who have come to Jantar Mantar, there is a baton charge. The government’s intent was to try to damage them and squelch them,” Kharge said, amidst opposition sloganeering.
Initially, the Rajya Sabha Chairman, CP Radhakrishnan, adjourned the proceedings until noon, citing the disturbance. Later, the House was adjourned for a while just after it was called to order during the protests.
Meanwhile, outside Parliament, thousands of people had staged a protest at Jantar Mantar ahead of the CJP’s planned march to Parliament on the issue of alleged leakage of examination papers. The Delhi Police has refused permission for the march and ordered a ban on it in multiple areas in central Delhi. Police have also broken up ‘rallies’ after the whole scene spirals out of control.
The Opposition has asked for talks on several topics so far in the Monsoon Session: alleged solicitation of funds in the Ram Temple in Ayodhya, Manipur and farmers’ issues, as well as the paper leak issue.
As the government plans to present some important bills during the Monsoon Session that will kick off from July 20 to August 13, the choices likely to be heard in the House are bound to be hectic.