Winter Session ends, Centre-Opposition acrimony on

While the government insisted on an apology for revoking the suspension, the Opposition was adamant that the procedure was faulty

The acrimonious Winter Session of Parliament came to an end on Wednesday, a day ahead of schedule, amid the government and Opposition pulling themselves farther over suspension of MPs in Rajya Sabha, “rushing” Bills in din and “avoiding” discussions on contentious issues.

This session was marked for Opposition protests in Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha over Lakhimpur Kheri killings and suspension of MPs with discussions on price rise remained unstarted and the one on climate change inconclusive while another on Omicron did not see Opposition participation.

Lok Sabha clocked a productivity of 82 per cent while Rajya Sabha had a dismal 47.90 per cent, indicating that both the sides did not climb down and resulted in the Opposition boycotting the first meeting called by the government at the fag end of the session to resolve suspension issue, as they did not agree with the "selective invitation" to five parties.

Read | BJP giving lectures after breaking every rule: Derek O'Brien on suspension

This was the fifth successive session since Budget Session 2020 that was adjourned ahead of schedule during the Covid-19 pandemic even as it passed 10 Bills, sent five to a Standing Committee and one to a Joint Committee of Parliament.

The highlights of the Session were the repeal of farm laws, a bill to increase the age of marriage for girls from 18 to 21 that was sent to a Standing Committee for further scrutiny, and the move to link Aadhaar numbers with election I-cards through a bill, which the Opposition alleged was "bulldozed". The bills to extend tenures of Directors of CBI and Enforcement Directorate also received the Parliamentary nod.

But much-anticipated bills that could ban cryptocurrencies and privatise two banks did not make it to the Parliament despite the government indicating that it is likely to bring it during the just-concluded Session.

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Leader of Opposition in Rajya Sabha Mallikarjun Kharge said, “The government suspended MPs because it did not have the numbers to pass it in Rajya Sabha. This is for the first time the MPs were kept out of proceedings for this long. They also never allowed us to raise small or big issues. They did not want to face it.

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Parliamentary Affairs Minister Pralhad Joshi countered, “The Opposition is not yet able to digest the people’s mandate won by BJP under Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s leadership in 2019. Congress, its friendly parties and no Trinamool Congress think that only they have the right to rule, it is some sort of family right, they think…not allowing Parliament to run is not good for democracy.”

"Every single day washed out by the government, who will now spend the afternoon doing Press Conferences justifying cold-blooded murder of democracy," TMC parliamentarian Derek O'Brien tweeted.

The growing chasm between the government and the Opposition were evident on day one, November 29, when the government pushed the passage of the bill to repeal farm laws in both the Houses, ignoring the demands of the Opposition, and getting 12 Opposition MPs suspended for their “unruly” behaviour in the previous Monsoon Session.

O’Brien became the 13th MP to be suspended on Tuesday after he flicked the Rule Book at the reporter’s table after Deputy Chairman Harivansh disallowed voting on a motion to send the contentious Election Laws (Amendment) Bill to a Select Committee.

As the government dug in its heels insisting that there would be no compromise without MPs expressing regret, the Opposition rejected it claiming the procedure, including suspension of CPI(M) floor leader Elamaram Kareem without naming him, was faulty and it was the government’s actions inside Rajya Sabha on August 11 that led to the protests.

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Suspended MPs then sat on an unprecedented sit-in at the Gandhi Statue in Parliament till the end of the Session, which saw the conclusion by reading of the Constitution’s Preamble and singing of the national anthem.

Though Trinamool Congress’ not attending joint Opposition meetings due to their reluctance to be seen with Congress created a flutter, the Opposition parties coordinated and all of them attended two joint marches, including one demanding the sacking of Minister of State for Home Ajay Mishra in connection with the killings of farmers in Lakhimpur Kheri.

In his concluding remarks amid Opposition demand for raising allegations of MLAs, Mayor, officials and their relatives buying land in Ayodhya after Supreme Court judgement that allowed construction of Ram Temple, Rajya Sabha Chairman M Venkaiah Naidu said, "I urge all of you to collectively and individually reflect and introspect if this Session could have been different and better...What has happened is wrong."

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