NEW DELHI, March 9: Lok Sabha proceedings were adjourned until 3 PM on Monday following chaotic scenes marked by noisy protests from opposition MPs demanding an urgent discussion on the rapidly deteriorating West Asia situation.
The disruption erupted shortly after the House convened, with opposition leaders from Congress, Samajwadi Party, and others raising slogans and trooping into the Well of the House. They pressed for a detailed statement from the government on the escalating Iran-Israel conflict, including Israeli strikes on Tehran, Iran’s alleged attacks on UAE and Bahrain, and the martyrdom of Ayatollah Ali Khamenei—whose son Mojtaba has been named Iran’s new Supreme Leader.
Speaker Om Birla repeatedly urged restraint and called for adherence to parliamentary procedure, but amid persistent din, adjourned the session till afternoon. The protests coincide with global oil prices spiking past $119 per barrel due to war disruptions in the Strait of Hormuz, Bahrain’s desalination plant strike accusations, and smoldering Tehran oil depots.
This comes hours after former J&K CM Mehbooba Mufti’s visit to the Iranian Embassy offering condolences to Iran and raising stranded Kashmiri students’ plight. India has reiterated its stance favoring peace and dialogue in West Asia, as stated by EAM, while domestic focus includes J&K schools reopening post-winter break and India’s T20 World Cup triumph celebrations.
