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The Monsoon Session of Parliament ended on Thursday much as it had begun-amid sloganeering, repeated adjournments and a political deadlock between the government and the Opposition. The Opposition spent much of the session demanding that Union Home Minister Amit Shah answer questions over the police action against students during the July 20 protest at Jantar Mantar. The government, meanwhile, insisted it was ready for a discussion, but accused the Opposition of refusing to engage unless the House was allowed to descend into slogans and disruptions.

By the time both Houses were adjourned sine die, the confrontation had taken a clear toll on parliamentary business.

Business Moved, Debate Didn't

Rijiju, while summing up the session, offered a distinction between the legislative output and the quality of parliamentary debate. “In terms of business, it was a very successful session,” he said, pointing out that Parliament passed 12 Bills. But, he acknowledged, “from the perspective of debate and discussion, it was not as successful.”

The numbers underline that assessment. The Lok Sabha recorded 19 per cent productivity, while the Rajya Sabha recorded 39 per cent, according to Rijiju.

Despite repeated disruptions and walkouts by Opposition parties, Rijiju said MPs from the NDA and some Opposition parties participated in debates and discussions. He pointed specifically to the Public Examinations (Prevention of Unfair Means) Act, dealing with paper leaks and unfair means in examinations, as the only Bill to have undergone a full discussion in the Lok Sabha. The legislation was discussed in both Houses before being passed.

The figures therefore present a mixed picture. The government can point to 12 Bills being passed as evidence that legislative business continued despite the disruptions. But the low productivity figures, particularly in the Lok Sabha, underline how little time Parliament had for sustained debate and scrutiny.

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A Session Lost To Disruption

The Jantar Mantar protest remained one of the central flashpoints of the session. Opposition MPs repeatedly sought Shah’s response to the police action against the students and questioned his absence from the House during the standoff. The government maintained that it was willing to discuss the matter, but wanted the Opposition to stop shouting slogans and allow proceedings to continue.

Parliamentary Affairs Minister Kiren Rijiju on Wednesday said he was “totally frustrated”, accusing the Opposition of “running away” from a discussion despite the government’s repeated offer. The Opposition, however, maintained that the Home Minister needed to answer its questions on the police action.

The result was a familiar cycle: protests, sloganeering, adjournments and little sustained debate.

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