As the Parliament's Monsoon Session commenced on Monday, 19 July, the Lok Sabha and the Rajya Sabha were both adjourned several times amid ruckus by the Opposition, even while Prime Minister Narendra Modi was introducing the new Council of Ministers.
Disrupting PM Modi's address in both Houses, many Opposition leaders raised slogans, a conduct that PM Modi, along with several other Union ministers and Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leaders condemned.
PM Modi said that he expected more enthusiasm in the Parliament as many women, Dalits, and tribals have become ministers.
What PM Modi Said
PM Modi slammed the Opposition while saying that there are some who cannot see women and the backward classes being glorified.
"It's an occasion where children of farmers are being introduced in the House. But some are opposing it. Women ministers, ministers from the SC/ST and Adivasi communities are being introduced," PM Modi said in the Rajya Sabha.
"What is this mindset that just cannot see their glory? We are witnessing it for the first time in this House," he added.
PM Modi expressed similar disppointment in the Lok Sabha after his address was disrupted there as well.
"Perhaps some people are unhappy that the country's women, OBCs and sons of farmers have become ministers. So, they don't even allow their introduction," he said.
Piyush Goyal, Rajnath Singh Condemn Disruption of Proceedings
Leader of House in the Rajya Sabha, Piyush Goyal, said that the Opposition could not see people from the backward community of the society being inducted into the Union Cabinet.
"The behaviour of the Opposition on the first day of the Monsoon session in both Houses was unfortunate. It is for the first time that women, members of the backward classes as well as members from the north-eastern region have been inducted into the Council of Ministers. The Opposition obstructiong their introduction is condemnable," he said.
Defence Minister Rajnath Singh said that he had seen the tradition being broken for the first time in years.
"For the first time in the 24 years of my Parliamentary life, I am seeing the tradition of the Prime Minister introducing the new ministers being broken. This is an unhealthy approach," he said.
Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman said that 'Parliamentary courtesy was lost'.
Taking to Twitter, she said: "Many women are now ministers. Newly sworn in, many ministers are from the SC, ST & the OBC sections of our society. Members of the Opposition not allowing a customary introduction to the House by @PMOIndia (sic)."
Union Minister Jyotiraditya Scindia said that he was "sad to see the Opposition hit a new low".
Congress to Corner Centre on 'Pegasus', SAD on Farm Laws
Meanwhile, ahead of the session, several Congress leaders said that they will raise questions on reports of Israel-made spyware Pegasus believed to have been used to snoop on senior journalists, Opposition leaders, government officials, and rights activists.
"Let me go inside the Parliament right now, we will discuss it," Congress MP Rahul Gandhi was quoted by ANI as saying before entering the House.
"Our national security is under threat. I will definitely raise this issue (in the House)," Leader of Congress in Lok Sabha, Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury, told ANI.
Congress MP Pradip Bhattacharya said that "a joint parliamentary committee (JPC) should be formed as phone tapping is done against the democracy of our country".
Meanwhile, the Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) protested outside the Parliement against the Centre's three contentious farm laws.
"Why is the government not listening to farmers? Today, whoever supports the farmers will have to presurise the Centre during the session for farmers' rights. Over 500 farmers have died by suicide. We will ask for this law to be repealed," SAD leader and former Union Minister Harsimrat Kaur Badal told ANI ahead of the session.
SAD President Sukhbir Singh Badal said that the party has issued an adjournment notice to the House and appealed to the Opposition paries to stand together against the laws.
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