Parliament LIVE: Rajya Sabha adjourned for the day amid ruckus over DKS’s remark
RS Chairman Jagdeep Dhankhar calls meeting with Nadda, Kharge on holding a structured discussion on the issue of judicial accountability and the NJAC Act
Both the Houses witnessed stormy scenes after Parliament resumed on Monday (March 24)
In the Rajya Sabha, Parliamentary Affairs Minister Kiren Rijiju sought response from the Leader of Opposition and Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge about Karnataka Deputy Chief Minister DK Shivakumar's purported statement that the Congress will change the Constitution to provide reservation for Muslims.
Leader of the House JP Nadda reiterated Rijiju's charge adding that the Karnataka government has passed a Bill allowing 4 per cent reservation to Muslims in government contracts. Nadda said the “Congress is shredding the Constitution” and demanding a discussion on the issue and a response from Kharge.
Amid loud disruptions by Treasury MPs, Kharge said the Constitution made by Babasaheb Ambedkar can never be changed and reservations can never be ended.
Rajya Sabha Chairman Jagdeep Dhankhar adjourned the House till 2 pm while Kharge was responding.
Ruckus in Lok Sabha
Minutes after starting its business on Monday, the Lok Sabha was adjourned till 12 noon due to protests by some opposition members who were carrying posters that invited strong disapproval from Speaker Om Birla.
When the House met at 11 am after the weekend break, opposition members, mostly Samajwadi Party MPs, started protests over certain crimes in Uttar Pradesh. The protesting SP members were carrying some posters.
The speaker strongly disapproved of the display of the posters, saying it was against the rules and hurt the dignity of the House. "You can't bring posters to the House. Please cooperate. If you show the posters in the House, I will be forced to take action against you," he said.
Birla said the Lok Sabha had in the past decided against any member carrying any kind of posters to the House.
"The House had already taken a decision against the display of posters. If you violate the decision, I will take action against you," he said.
The speaker told Rijiju to bring a motion against it. "Or else I will take action," he said and adjourned the House till 12 noon.
When the House re-convened, Rijiju said the remarks by a person sitting in a Constitutional post to change the Constitution to facilitate 4 per cent reservation for Muslims were unacceptable.
"How can the House watch in silence? Congress should clarify … the person should be sacked. You claim to give reservations to Muslims and resort to theatrics of carrying a photograph of Babasaheb Ambedkar and a copy of the Constitution in your pocket," Rijiju said.
Some Congress members tried to counter Rijiju, leading to din in the House.
BJP member Jagdambika Pal, who was in the chair, tried to restore order and later adjourned the proceedings till 2 pm.
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Live Updates
- 24 March 2025 10:54 AM
Dhankhar lauds CJI's response on cash recovery issue, floor leaders meet to be held
Rajya Sabha Chairman Jagdeep Dhankhar on Monday held a meeting with Leader of the House JP Nadda and Leader of Opposition Mallikarjun Kharge on judicial accountability in the wake of allegations of cash recovery from the residence of a high court judge and said they decided to await the outcome of the CJI-appointed in-house inquiry panel before taking up the issue further.
Dhankhar lauded Chief Justice of India Sanjiv Khanna, saying he has initiated action in a "very impactful, transparent manner".
Vice President Dhankhar, who has been a vocal critic of the Supreme Court's October 2015 decision to quash the National Judicial Appointments Commission Act, said as suggested by the Leader of Opposition, he would soon convene a meeting of floor leaders of various parties in the Rajya Sabha on the issue as also of taking further the issue of NJAC Act.
Dhankhar said CJI Khanna showed "alertness" following the allegations of discovery of "four to five semi-burnt sacks" of Indian currency notes after a fire incident on March 14 at the residence of Delhi High Court judge Yashwant Varma by forming the panel to look into the matter, besides putting all material in the public domain.
He had earlier written to Nadda and Kharge for holding such a meeting for a structured discussion in the Upper House of Parliament on the issue of judicial accountability and the NJAC Act.
The two leaders held closed-door consultations with Dhankhar in his chamber at 11.30 am. The meeting was held in reference to the observations Dhankhar made in the House on March 21 while responding to the points raised by Congress leader Jairam Ramesh over the cash recovery row.
- 24 March 2025 10:39 AM
Jairam Ramesh demands breach of privilege proceedings against Rijiju
Congress MP Jairam Ramesh submits a Privilege Motion notice to Rajya Sabha Chairman Jagdeep Dhankhar, against Parliamentary Affairs Minister Kiren Rijiju
— ANI (@ANI) March 24, 2025
"On 24 March, 2025, shortly after the House met, Kiren Rijiju had blatantly misled the House by attributing some false… pic.twitter.com/ktGl5PKRJL - 24 March 2025 10:14 AM
Cong's Jairam Ramesh gives notice of privilege in RS against Rijiju for 'misleading' House
The Congress's chief whip in the Rajya Sabha, Jairam Ramesh, on Monday gave a notice of question of breach of privilege against Parliamentary Affairs Minister Kiren Rijiju for "misleading" the House on alleged statements made by Karnataka Deputy Chief Minister D K Shivakumar.
Ramesh gave the notice under Rule 188 of the Rules of Procedure and Conduct of Business in the Council of States (Rajya Sabha).
In his notice submitted to Chairman Jagdeep Dhankhar, the Congress member said shortly after the Rajya Sabha met on March 24, Rijiju "blatantly misled" the House by attributing some "false statements" purportedly made by Shivakumar.
"D K Shivakumar has since refuted the statements attributed to him to be false and derogatory in nature. Hence, the remarks made by Kiren Rijiju are false and misleading, which constitute a breach of privilege and contempt of the House.
"It is well established that it is a breach of privilege and contempt of the House to make false and misleading statements in the House. In view of the foregoing, I request that privilege proceedings may be initiated against Kiren Rijiju in the matter," Ramesh said in his notice.
Rijiju told the House earlier in the day that a senior Congress leader, who holds a constitutional post, has said his party will change the Constitution to provide reservation to Muslims.
Though he did not name the leader, he was apparently referring to Shivakumar.
"We cannot take this statement lightly," the minister said, adding that the remarks have not come from any ordinary party leader but from someone holding a constitutional post. PTI
- 24 March 2025 10:09 AM
Shivakumar's remarks reveal Cong's hidden agenda: BJP
The BJP on Monday alleged that Karnataka Deputy Chief Minister D K Shivakumar’s latest remarks on Muslim quota have brought to light the Congress' "hidden agenda" of changing the Constitution to provide reservation to the minority community for their votes.
Rahul Gandhi, Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge and Sonia Gandhi should tell the country that they will not change the Constitution, former Union minister Ravi Shankar Prasad said at a press conference at the BJP headquarters in New Delhi.
At the press conference at the BJP headquarters, Ravi Shankar Prasad read out the remarks made by Shivakumar and said, “Truth has the very uncanny habit of appearing and reappearing.” "It’s Congress’ hidden agenda that it will change the Constitution for votes," he alleged, terming Shivakumar’s remarks as “the beginning”.
“Mr Rahul Gandhi, will you speak up? Will you make a comment on the comments made by your Deputy Chief Minister DK Shivakumar? Will you clarify that the Congress will not change the Constitution for appeasement (of Muslims),” Prasad asked.
“Rahul Gandhi, Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge and Sonia Gandhi should tell the country that they will not change the Constitution when religion-based reservation is not permissible under it ,” he added. PTI
- 24 March 2025 9:47 AM
Cash-discovery row: Opposition MPs demand fair probe, call for judge's impeachment
The alleged discovery of a large stash of cash from the official residence of Delhi High Court judge Yashwant Varma drew sharp reactions from the opposition leaders who demanded a fair probe into the matter while some suggested that he should be impeached.
Reacting to the developments in the matter, the AAP's Rajya Sabha MP Sanjay Singh said, "This is a big issue, people's trust in the judiciary has been damaged." "This is the first time in the history of India that bundles of currency notes have been discovered from the house of a judge... He should resign and the matter should be investigated. Parliament should also discuss the issue," he said.
Speaking to reporters outside Parliament, Singh said, "They throw opposition leaders in jail even when no money is recovered. (But in this case) crores of rupees have been found and no probe is being conducted."
Congress MP Karti Chidambaram said the committee formed by CJI Khanna is a step forward, adding the government should make a statement on the issue in Parliament. "It is really incumbent upon the Chief Justice of India to bring out the truth of this cash fire episode... They have also formed a three-member committee of judges to look into it. This is the best way forward, but I think the Law Minister should make a statement in Parliament as well," he said.Trinamool Congress MP Kalyan Banerjee claimed that people's confidence in the judiciary was webbing away.
"People's confidence in the judiciary is slowly deteriorating. It is the duty of the judiciary to instil confidence in people. Earlier we have seen sitting a judge resign and join a political party the next day, a CJI retiring and coming up as the member of Parliament," he said.
"An inquiry has commenced. This is a good step taken by the Chief Justice of India. If the CJI wants, he can recommend impeachment. Parliament can also initiate a step for impeachment," the MP from West Bengal's Serampore said.
Azad Samaj party (ASP) MP Chandra Shekhar demanded that a judicial service commission should be formed.
"There are examinations for appointment to every government post. Then why not for judges? A few families have captured the institution... It is time to finish the collegium system and have an all-India judicial commission," he said.
