New Delhi, 19 December (H.S.): Rajya Sabha Chairman C P Radhakrishnan on Friday censured Opposition members for their disruptive conduct during the passage of the rural employment guarantee bill (G RAM G), describing it as unbecoming of parliamentarians and calling for introspection to prevent recurrence.

Radhakrishnan delivered these valedictory remarks while reading a synopsis of the 15-day Winter Session's legislative achievements before adjourning the House sine die—Latin for without a day, signifying indefinite suspension without a fixed reconvening date.

The session, commencing December 1, showcased heightened engagement, with Zero Hour notices averaging over 84 daily—a 31 percent rise from prior sessions—and more than 15 matters raised each day, up nearly 50 percent.

The House extended sittings or skipped lunch recesses on five days to expedite business, marking Radhakrishnan's inaugural stint presiding after assuming office. He expressed gratitude to Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Leader of the House J P Nadda, and Leader of the Opposition Mallikarjun Kharge for their felicitations amid the productive proceedings.

Radhakrishnan specifically condemned Thursday's chaos, where Opposition MPs shouted slogans, brandished placards, interrupted the minister's reply, tore papers, and hurled them into the House's well during G RAM G deliberations.

Such actions, he asserted, undermined parliamentary decorum and the Constitution's sanctity, urging adherence to established norms. The rebuff aligns with broader tensions, as the bill's passage in both Houses sparked Opposition protests, including midnight dharnas outside Parliament.

---------------

Hindusthan Samachar / Jun Sarkar