Union Parliamentary Affairs Minister Kiren Rijiju on Thursday described the recently concluded Monsoon Session of Parliament as a success in terms of legislative work but criticised the opposition over repeated disruptions and the limited time available for debates.
Speaking to reporters after the session ended, Rijiju said the government’s assessment of the session had two sides. While Parliament managed to clear 12 pieces of legislation, frequent interruptions in both Houses reduced the scope for meaningful discussion.
“In terms of business, it was a very successful session; we passed a total of 12 bills. However, from the perspective of debate and discussion, it was not as successful,” Rijiju said.
According to the minister, the Lok Sabha functioned for only 19 per cent of the allotted time, while the Rajya Sabha recorded 39 per cent productivity during the session.
Rijiju accused opposition parties of repeatedly disrupting proceedings and staging walkouts. He, however, said members of the ruling NDA and some opposition MPs continued to take part in parliamentary debates despite the disruptions.
The minister further pointed out that only one bill received what he described as a full-fledged discussion in the Lok Sabha.
Paper leak law gets detailed debate
Rijiju highlighted the Public Examinations (Prevention of Unfair Means) Act as an example of legislation that received discussion in both Houses.
“The Public Examinations (Prevention of Unfair Means) Act was passed during this session. This legislation was discussed in both the Lok Sabha and the Rajya Sabha,” he said.
The legislation was brought into focus amid wider concerns over examination irregularities and the use of unfair means in competitive examinations.
NEET row dominates Parliament proceedings
The Monsoon Session, which began on July 20, was marked by repeated disruptions, with opposition parties raising several contentious issues.
The protests initially centred on the NEET paper leak controversy and allegations concerning donations linked to the Ram temple in Ayodhya. The opposition subsequently demanded a discussion on police action against students who were protesting over the NEET issue.
Opposition parties also sought the presence of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Union Home Minister Amit Shah in Parliament to address the matter.
The government attempted to break the deadlock by offering a discussion on the NEET paper leak and related issues. Rijiju said Shah was prepared to respond to the debate, but the Congress did not accept the proposal.
A second attempt to resolve the impasse on Wednesday also failed.
Rahul Gandhi rejects government’s proposal
Leader of Opposition Rahul Gandhi maintained that the opposition wanted answers over the alleged use of pellet guns against students during protests.
Gandhi said the younger generation wanted to know who had ordered the police action and questioned the responsibility of the Home Minister.
He also rejected the prospect of listening to what he called Shah’s “imagination and lecture” in Parliament.
Gandhi argued that if Shah had authorised the action, he should take responsibility, while if he had not, it represented a failure of leadership.
“In both cases, he should resign,” Gandhi said.
The session therefore ended with the government highlighting the passage of legislation, while the opposition continued to raise concerns over issues it said required detailed parliamentary scrutiny.
