Parliament Winter Session: Both Houses Witness Opposition Staging Walkouts over Indo-China Clash

The Rajya Sabha on December 14, started by paying respects to late MPs Yogendra Alagh and R.C Singh. At the very beginning of the Zero Hour Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge proposed that there should be a discussion about the clash of Indian and Chinese troops in Arunachal Pradesh's Tawang sector,  on December 9, however this proposal was dismissed by the Chair. Following this opposition members walked to mark protest, in spite of this Zero Hour, Special Mentions and Question Hour proceeded as usual.

After the lunch break, Law Minister Kiren Rijuju should be moving the New Delhi International Arbitration Centre Act, 2019, as passed by Lok Sabha, and is to be taken into consideration in the Rajya Sabha. The lower house will continue its discussion on the additional demand for grants for 2022-2023 and excess grants for 2019-2020. Both the Houses will also take up other pending issues from the previous day

A day earlier, the session had started with MPs paying their respects to those who lost their lives in 2001 Parliament attack . The day marked the 22nd anniversary of the terrorist act. An array of actions took place on Tuesday's session as Opposition members walked out over their demand for a discussion on the Indo-China border clash in Arunachal Pradesh's Tawang. Both the houses also witnessed the Defence Minister Rajnath Singh address, he revealed that  none of the Indian soldiers were killed or badly injured in the clash. Leader of Opposition in the Rajya Sabha Mallikarjun Kharge, however, claimed that they  had repeatedly asked for a debate on the border clash, but the government refused to allow it and the Defence Minister left without giving clarification.

This marked a departure from proceedings which have been relatively calm in both Houses, contrary to what happened in the Monsoon Session. The Winter Session is due to conclude on December 29.

Lok Sabha adjourned for an hour and the proceedings resumed in the lower house at 2.10 p.m.