New Delhi: The Lok Sabha failed to conduct any business on Thursday as the Chair adjourned the House three times due to DMK MPs wearing T-shirts with slogans protesting the proposed population-based delimitation of Lok Sabha constituencies.
Before the session began, the DMK MPs staged a protest outside Parliament wearing T-shirts bearing the slogan: “#fairdelimitation. Tamil Nadu will fight, Tamil Nadu will win.” When the House convened at 11 am, the MPs entered wearing the same attire and attempted to raise their issue. Speaker Om Birla objected to the slogans on the T-shirts, citing Rule 349 of the House’s procedures, which mandates that MPs maintain the dignity of the House. He stated, “Such undignified attire is not acceptable inside the House, regardless of who the leader is. Go outside, change your clothes, and return in proper attire.”
Following the Speaker’s remarks, the House was adjourned until 12 noon. When the session resumed, the same scene unfolded, and Deputy Speaker Krishna Prasad Tenneti adjourned proceedings again until 2 pm, and then for the remainder of the day.
Outside Parliament, DMK MP Kanimozhi argued that the Chair’s objection to their T-shirts was a new development, claiming, “We’ve seen MPs from other parties, including the BJP, wearing clothes with slogans before. But when the opposition protests, they cannot tolerate it.”
