After a dozen adjournments — six times each in the Lok Sabha and the Rajya Sabha — both Houses were adjourned for the day.

While protests by students spiralled out of control outside the Parliament House complex as thousands of them converged on Jantar Mantar amid heavy police and paramilitary presence, inside Parliament, both Houses could not transact any business and were adjourned for the day at 3 pm.

The severity of the protests outside by students could be gauged from the fact that the Parliament complex’s gates were locked from inside for several hours, making it difficult for staffers and other personnel to either enter or depart from there.

Sources said due to heavy barricading and police presence outside the Parliament House complex, both Houses were apparently being adjourned for short durations as there was no possibility to allow MPs outside the compound. It was only around 3 pm when the barricades were eased that both Houses were adjourned for the day and the lawmakers could make their way out of the complex.

Earlier, when the Lower House convened for the day in the morning, Speaker Om Birla urged members to maintain decorum during Question Hour.

“Parliament is the supreme body of democracy. I request you to follow the rules. Please do not bring posters and placards. This is Question Hour. It is not right to raise slogans. You do not want the House to function,” Birla said before the first adjournment.

Samajwadi Party MP Dimple Yadav, along with party MPs, marched from Parliament to Jantar Mantar in support of the students protesting over the alleged NEET paper leak.

Addressing reporters on the Parliament premises, Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav launched a sharp attack on the Centre, alleging that the government had displayed “arrogance” by failing to acknowledge the “deaths of children” and by refusing to engage with the protesting students.

When the Lok Sabha reassembled at 2 pm after several adjournments, Opposition members were heard complaining about the closing of the entry gate of Parliament House. In response, BJP’s Jagdambika Pal, who was in the Chair, said, “Kisi bhi Sansad ko kisi bhi gate par roka nahin ja raha hai (No MP is being stopped at any gate).”

He urged the members not to show placards, before adjourning the House till 2.30 pm.

When the proceedings resumed, Pal urged the members to allow the House to function. He called BJP member Khagen Murmu to raise his issue under Rule 377 of the Lok Sabha Rules of Procedure and Conduct of Business, which allows Members of Parliament to raise urgent matters of public importance.

However, some Opposition members entered the well of the House. Pal urged DMK member TR Baalu, who was among them, to go back to his seat. “You (Baalu) are the senior-most. What example are you going to set for your new members of Parliament,” Pal said, adjourning the House till 3 pm.

However, when the House reassembled at 3 pm, the Opposition members continued their protests, and Pal adjourned the House for the day.

The Rajya Sabha proceedings also saw multiple adjournments on the opening day of the monsoon session as opposition parties protested against police action on students protesting the NEET paper leak. It was later adjourned for the day without transacting any business.

In the morning, Congress president and Leader of Opposition in the Rajya Sabha Mallikarjun Kharge raised the NEET paper leak issue, saying the future of lakhs of students was at stake. He also accused the government of trying to suppress students protesting against the matter.

“The government is trying to beat them, suppress them and crush their voice,” Kharge said amid interruptions in the House.

He also took a jibe at the treasury benches over the Ram Temple donation theft, who protested against his comments following which the House was adjourned till 12 pm.

As the House reassembled, the Opposition members continued to raise slogans. Deputy Chairman Harivansh urged them to maintain decorum. “The House is for dialogue and discussion. Please, let us debate,” Harivansh said. When the members refused to relent, he adjourned the House for half an hour till 2.30 pm.

At 2.30 pm, when the Upper House reconvened, it was adjourned for the day amid protests by the opposition members.