Delhi, 5 August (H.S.): The Monsoon Session of Parliament resumed with both Houses, Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha, facing continued disruptions from opposition parties who demanded discussions on the Election Commission's voter roll revision in Bihar under the SIR exercise. Opposition leaders argued that the ongoing protests were indicative of the ruling party's inability to manage the House effectively. Congress MP Jairam Ramesh emphasized the necessity for the government to facilitate discussions, stating that the opposition had a clear demand for debate on critical issues like Operation Sindoor and the SIR, condemning the ruling party's reluctance to engage on these matters.
Deputy Chairman of Rajya Sabha Harivansh noted that the session had lost significant time due to disruptions, totaling over 41 hours, which impedes accountability measures like Question Hour and Zero Hour. The opposition's protests intensified due to claims about the deployment of the Central Industrial Security Force (CISF) within the Rajya Sabha, leading BJP leader JP Nadda to criticize their conduct, advocating for appropriate behavior consistent with parliamentary traditions.
Nadda dismissed the opposition's justification for protesting, equating their actions to anarchy rather than legitimate disturbance in a democracy. Additionally, Union Minister Kiren Rijiju responded to the uproar by accusing the opposition of diminishing the decorum of the House and spreading misinformation regarding security personnel deployments.
Rijiju clarified that only House marshals were present in Parliament, refuting allegations that military or police forces were involved. He urged for the smooth functioning of the House, lamenting the lack of passage for significant bills despite the session entering its third week. The government successfully moved and passed The Readjustment of Representation of Scheduled Tribes in Assembly Constituencies of the State of Goa Bill, 2024 in Lok Sabha, yet emphasized the need for cooperation from the opposition.
Opposition MPs, including Congress Rajya Sabha member Renuka Chowdhury and DMK MP Tiruchi Siva, criticized the CISF's involvement, contending it was unnecessary and portrayed parliamentarians as threats to security. They expressed frustration over the perceived suppression of dissenting voices within the House and raised concerns about the erosion of democratic processes.
Deputy Chairman Harivansh acknowledged the confusion among MPs regarding the subjects for discussion, observing that some members raised irrelevant or inappropriate issues for the context. He pointed out that ongoing protests often diverted attention from substantive legislative work.
With three weeks into the session and only a few bills passed, the government reiterated its plea for opposition cooperation to ensure effective legislative processes. The proceedings witnessed multiple adjournments, with both Houses suspended until the following day amid persistent opposition uproar regarding the SIR debate. Meanwhile, the INDIA bloc protested outside Parliament, reiterating their demands for the discontinuation of the contested voter roll revision, marking ten days of steadfast protest on the issue, including a break due to the passing of a former politician.
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Hindusthan Samachar / Jun Sarkar
