Parliament gets off to a stormy start

NEW DELHI: Parliament's monsoon session got off to a stormy start on Monday with both Houses failing to transact any business due to Opposition protests over various issues. The first day coincided with the presidential polls.
Even as opposition members raised slogans, Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla said elections in India are celebrated as a "festival" and since the presidential polls were under way, he adjourned the House till 2pm. When it reconvened, Left members protested against rising inflation while Congress leader Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury tried to raise some issues. Law minister Kiren Rijiju introduced the Family Courts (Amendment) Bill. But as the protests continued, Lok Sabha was adjourned for the day.
In Rajya Sabha, Congress members shouted slogans and trooped to the Well of the House raising the issue of price rise and increase in GST rates soon after chairman Venkaiah Naidu read out the obituary references. When protesting members did not heed his request to go back to their seats, Naidu said, "As some people have come determined not to allow the House to function and also for enabling the members to go and vote in the presidential election, I am adjourning the House for the day."