New Delhi: Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge on Thursday launched a sharp attack on the Centre over the washout of the Monsoon Session of Parliament, accusing Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Union Home Minister Amit Shah of avoiding the House and refusing to listen to the Opposition.
Addressing reporters after the Lok Sabha was adjourned sine die, Kharge questioned why the Prime Minister and Home Minister were not coming to the House to hear the concerns raised by Opposition MPs.
“They are not ready to come to Parliament,” Kharge said, questioning Shah’s reported remark that he was inside Parliament and listening to the proceedings. Kharge asked, “Do you come here to sit in your room and listen? Come to the House and hear us.”
Kharge alleged that the government was undermining parliamentary democracy by not engaging directly with Opposition members. He also accused the ruling establishment of trying to demoralise MPs and treating Parliament as less important than the government itself.
The remarks came on the final day of the Monsoon Session, which ended amid continued political confrontation between the ruling BJP and the Opposition. The Lok Sabha was adjourned shortly after the traditional playing of Vande Mataram, with protests and sloganeering disrupting proceedings.
The session witnessed repeated disruptions over several contentious issues, with both sides blaming each other for preventing meaningful legislative debate. The BJP accused the Opposition of deliberately obstructing Parliament, while Opposition parties alleged that the government was unwilling to discuss issues of public concern.
Political tensions were also visible outside the main proceedings. BJP and Opposition MPs staged competing demonstrations at the Makar Dwar area of the Parliament complex, adding to the atmosphere of confrontation.
Kharge said the government should have allowed Parliament to function through discussion and debate instead of allowing the session to descend into repeated disruptions. He maintained that the Prime Minister and senior ministers should directly face questions from elected representatives.
Congress leader Priyanka Gandhi Vadra also targeted the government, accusing the ruling side of failing to provide adequate space for discussion in Parliament.
Union Parliamentary Affairs Minister Kiren Rijiju, meanwhile, criticised the Opposition and said the government had passed 12 Bills during the session but questioned whether the Opposition was satisfied with the quality of discussion. The government has maintained that repeated Opposition protests were responsible for disrupting legislative business.
With the session now over, the political blame game is likely to continue outside Parliament. Kharge’s latest remarks underline the widening divide between the government and Opposition, with both sides accusing the other of weakening the functioning of Parliament.
The Monsoon Session's conclusion without sustained debate on several contentious matters has once again raised questions over disruptions, accountability and the ability of Parliament to function effectively amid intense political rivalry.
