Rajya Sabha adjourned for the day amid uproar over alleged link between Congress leaders and Soros

Congress leaders Mallikarjun Kharge and Rahul Gandhi, along with other INDIA bloc MPs stage a protest over the indictment of industrialist Gautam Adani by a US court in a bribery case, during the winter session of Parliament, in New Delhi, on Monday. Pic/PTI

The Rajya Sabha was adjourned for the day on Monday amid uproar over the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) accusing top Congress leaders of "colluding" with billionaire investor George Soros to "destabilise" the country, news agency PTI reported. Vice-President Jagdeep Dhankhar, who is the Chairman of the House, cautioned the members that the "functioning of the deep state affects us more perniciously than the Covid disease".

Amid uproar by treasury and opposition benches, when the Upper House re-assembled at 3 pm after three adjournments earlier in the day, Chairman Dhankhar informed that a meeting was held in his chamber between the Leader of the House and the Leader of the Opposition.

"The purpose of that meeting was to ensure that the House runs smoothly. Both sides had a frank discussion and they signalled two things. One, that integrity, and sovereignty of the nation are sacred for us. We cannot allow any forces within the country or outside to sacrilege our unity, our integrity and our sovereignty," Dhankhar said, adding that the leaders have agreed to meet in his chamber again at 10.30 am on Tuesday, PTI reported.

The Chairman then appealed to all the members to carefully consider the oath of the Constitution they have taken to ensure the integrity of the country on a priority basis.

"Any challenge to the unity and integrity of the nation from within or outside requires all of us to offer a united challenge ... It is a challenge to our very existence. We as a nation are committed to fighting the sinister forces, the forces that are inimical to India... a deep state that is evolving is required to be neutralised by all of us," he said, according to PTI.

Dhankhar also appealed to the members to share the sentiments of the 1.4 billion people at large who are extremely "concerned that all the divisive forces that are pernicious to the concept of Bharat, which have a sinister design to run down our democracy, bring down our progress, and impede our economic upsurge have to be defeated by us".

He said that the sentiment shared by the citizens has to emanate from the House, and at this critical moment when the country is facing such challenges, it must send a united voice so that these forces are defeated.

The Chairman also cautioned that "we cannot afford to overlook such evil designs", asserting that the "functioning of the deep state affects us more perniciously than the Covid disease", before adjourning the Upper House for the day.

(With PTI inputs)