New Delhi, July 21 -- The Lok Sabha was adjourned for the second time till 2 pm on Monday amid opposition demand for discussion on Operation Sindoor on the first day of the Monsoon session.

As the House met at 12 noon after a brief adjournment, Parliamentary Affairs Minister Kiren Rijiju appealed to the opposition members to place their demand at the meeting of the Business Advisory Committee (BAC) scheduled at 2:30 pm on Monday.

"The Government is ready to reply to all the issues that Speaker agrees to at the BAC meeting. But to raise slogans and not let the House function on the first day of the Monsoon session is unacceptable," Rijiju said in the House.

As opposition members continued to protest in the Well, Jagdambika Pal, who was chairing the proceedings of the House, asked them to go back to their seats and assured them that Speaker Om Birla will allow them to raise all matters that they want to discuss.

Defence Minister Rajnath Singh also assured the opposition MPs that the government is ready to have a long discussion on all issues which the Speaker agrees to.

"The Government is ready to discuss any topic the Opposition wants. Whatever time they need to discuss, the Government is ready to answer all questions," Singh said.

As protests continued, Pal said, "I appeal to Leader of Opposition, I appeal to Rahul Gandhi to let the House take up Zero Hour. People of the country are watching the proceedings and seeing that Government is ready to discuss all issues but the opposition does not want the House to function".

As ruckus continued, Pal adjourned the House till 2 PM.

When the Lok Sabha met at 11 am, after obituary references, opposition members led by the Congress were up on their feet as they insisted on a discussion on Operation Sindoor, under which Indian armed forces carried out attacks on Pakistan following the Pahalgam terror attack.

Birla said he was ready to allow the members to raise all issues, including Operation Sindoor, after Question Hour, the first hour of the day where members raise questions related to different ministries and department.

"I will allow you to raise all issues after Question Hour. The House will function only through rules and regulations. It cannot allow sloganeering and raising of placards," he said.

Birla said if the members give notice, he will alow them to raise all issues and will give enough time to each of the MP to raise the issues.

"Honourable members, this is Question Hour. We must try to maintain high parliamentary standards. We must try to fulfil the hopes and expectations of the people who have elected us and debate and discuss important issues of the country," he said.

The speaker said the members are not allowed to shout slogans inside the House or show the placards. "Go outside the Houses for sloganeering," he said.

"You want discussion on Operation Sindoor, I will allow after the Question Hour. The government is ready to give reply to all issues," he said.

However, opposition members continued their protests, forcing the speaker to adjourn the House till 12 noon after about 20 minutes of business which started at 11 am.

Published by HT Digital Content Services with permission from Millennium Post.