NEW DELHI:
India’s winter parliamentary session concluded on Friday amid heated debates and allegations of violence, prompting a stern reprimand from the Vice President for the ongoing “destructive disruptions.” The session was marked by scuffles and arguments, with several lawmakers accusing each other of misconduct.
A formal police investigation was launched against opposition Congress leader Rahul Gandhi after two ruling party lawmakers from the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) claimed they were injured during protests outside the parliament building. The two BJP members were hospitalized on Thursday following the altercations. Congress dismissed the incident as a political stunt, while they themselves filed a police report, alleging that their senior lawmaker, Mallikarjun Kharge, the leader of the opposition in the upper house, was also injured in the same protest.
Before the session ended abruptly, Vice President Jagdeep Dhankhar, who also chairs the upper house, delivered a strong warning to lawmakers, saying, “As parliamentarians, we are facing severe criticism from the people of India β and rightly so.” He further emphasized that the ongoing disruptions were damaging public trust in democratic institutions, urging members to choose between constructive debate and destructive behavior.
The heated arguments were sparked by allegations against Home Minister Amit Shah, a close ally of Prime Minister Narendra Modi. The Congress party accused Shah of disrespecting Bhimrao Ramji Ambedkar, an iconic leader and architect of India’s constitution, in a speech earlier this week. Ambedkar, who is highly revered by India’s marginalized communities, was credited with pivotal social reforms. Shah, along with Modi and the BJP, denied the accusations, labeling them as “malicious lies.”
This session also saw political maneuvering surrounding the position of the leader of the opposition. With the opposition securing enough seats, Rahul Gandhi officially assumed the role, which had remained vacant since 2014. Gandhi, from the influential Nehru-Gandhi political dynasty, had been briefly disqualified from parliament last year following a criminal libel conviction. However, a higher court later suspended the verdict. Supporters of Gandhi have accused the government of trying to eliminate him as a political rival to Modi.
