The Lok Sabha witnessed multiple disruptions before being adjourned for the day on Thursday (December 5, 2024) as Opposition members protested over BJP member Nishikant Dubey’s remarks linking Leader of the Opposition Rahul Gandhi to U.S.-based billionaire George Soros.

Raising the issue during Zero Hour at noon, the BJP MP quoted a report in French media about the funding of the investigative media platform, Organised Crime and Corruption Reporting Project (OCCRP), and how OCCRP reports were often used by the Congress-led Opposition to derail parliamentary proceedings.

Opposition MPs protest in Parliament, demand JPC to probe corruption allegations against Adani 

Stating that the U.S. billionaire was funding the OCCRP, the MP tried to put questions to Mr. Gandhi and his sister and Wayanad MP, Priyanka Gandhi Vadra. Mr. Dubey alleged that Mr. Soros, the OCCRP and the Congress were trying to derail India’s success story that was being scripted under Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s leadership.

Congress members were up on their feet as Mr. Dubey tried to pose questions to Mr. Gandhi and Ms. Vadra. Lok Sabha member and Congress general secretary (organisation) K.C. Venugopal called Mr. Dubey “an agent of Adani”.

Opposition MPs later met Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla to register their protest against Mr. Dubey’s remarks.

The BJP’s afternoon aggression inside the House seemed as a counter to the Indian National Developmental, Inclusive Alliance’s (INDIA) protests over the Adani issue. Outside the Parliament building, INDIA bloc members formed a human ring in protest, calling for a probe against the Adani Group, which has been indicted by a U.S. court on charges of bribery.

Inside the House, Congress MPs were seen wearing jackets with stickers that read “Modi Adani Ek Hai” (Modi and Adani are together) and “Adani Safe Hai” (Adani is safe) – a modified version of Mr. Modi’s earlier slogan “Ek Hai to Safe hain” (United, we are safe). Mr. Gandhi’s T-shirt too had a sticker with the same slogan over a photo of Mr. Modi and industrialist Gautam Adani.

Rijiju slams ‘fashion show’

While Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla cautioned members against wearing such stickers and badges, Parliamentary Affairs Minister Kiren Rijiju called it a “fashion show”.

“They [Opposition] came into Parliament wearing colourful clothes, and outside Parliament, they have started a fashion show wearing those colourful clothes. This lowers the dignity of Parliament and I condemn it. Such disruptions will achieve nothing; it won’t fetch votes,” Mr. Rijiju said after the House reassembled at 2 p.m. after the first round of disruption.

After the first adjournment, Jagdambika Pal, who was in the Chair, tried running the House at 2 p.m. by asking Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw to reply to the debate on the Railway Amendment Bill, 2024, that took place on Wednesday. When protests continued, he adjourned the House until 3 p.m. and subsequently for the day.

Though the House functioned smoothly during the Question Hour, it erupted during the Zero Hour when Mr. Birla allowed Mr. Dubey to speak while Deputy Leader of the Congress Gaurav Gogoi was pressing for a statement on why the Uttar Pradesh government stopped Mr. Gandhi from visiting violence-hit Sambhal.

Continuing with his allegations against Mr. Gandhi and Mr. Soros-funded OCCRP, the BJP member said the Congress had sought to derail Parliament on reports published by the OCCRP, including on the Pegasus spying row, questioning the efficacy of COVID-19 vaccines developed in India and on the Hindenburg issue.

This set off protests by Congress members. Amid the din, the Speaker called Mr. Gogoi to raise the issue of violence in Sambhal but he tried countering the allegations against Mr. Gandhi stating that the latter was in favour of peace while the BJP was “spreading untruths”.