Rajya Sabha adjourned twice; Opposition seeks Amit Shah's statement on police action

The Rajya Sabha remained non-functional for the first half of Wednesday (July 29, 2026), with the House being adjourned twice as Opposition members demanded a statement from Home Minister Amit Shah on recent police actions.

The Opposition sought Mr. Shah's response to the July 20 police action against protesters and the presence of Delhi Police at the Communist Party of India (Marxist) headquarters to arrest Jawaharlal Nehru University Student Union president Aishe Ghosh on Tuesday (July 28, 2026).

The first adjournment occurred within 20 minutes of the House convening. The second followed shortly after noon.

Proceedings began with Opposition members protesting the entry of Delhi Police personnel into the CPI(M) headquarters to arrest Ms. Ghosh in connection with a 2021 JNU protest case. CPI(M) member John Brittas alleged that the arrest was prompted by Ms. Ghosh's recent participation in a demonstration at Jantar Mantar. He said a Delhi Police team in plainclothes entered the party office to make the arrest.

Leader of the Opposition Mallikarjun Kharge supported Brittas, stating that democracy was under threat.

Responding to the charge, Leader of the House J.P. Nadda described the arrest as a routine law-and-order matter and said the police acted according to procedure. He added that students involved in activism often face such action, recalling that he himself was picked up by the police from his classroom during the Emergency imposed by the Indira Gandhi government.

Amid the uproar, the House was adjourned till noon.

When the House reassembled for Question Hour, Treasury and Opposition benches clashed again after Congress MP Renuka Chowdhury drew attention to Mr. Shah's absence. “Where is the Home Minister? Call him here,” Ms. Chowdhury said. “You fire at students,” she added, as Opposition members raised slogans demanding Mr. Shah's presence.

Chairman C.P. Radhakrishnan then adjourned the House till 2 p.m.

The Rajya Sabha has remained largely non-functional since the Monsoon Session began on July 20 amid ongoing confrontations between the government and the Opposition.