The Winter Session of Parliament concluded today amidst intense protests, heated exchanges, and accusations of misconduct. The four-week session witnessed high political drama, with the final day marked by parallel protests from the Congress and the BJP over Union Home Minister Amit Shah’s remarks about BR Ambedkar.
Congress MPs, led by Priyanka Gandhi Vadra, staged a protest in the Parliament complex, alleging that Amit Shah’s comments in the Rajya Sabha were an insult to the legacy of the Constitution’s architect. Simultaneously, BJP MPs organized their protest, accusing the Congress of disrespecting Ambedkar. These protests added to the chaos that has characterized the session, which saw frequent disruptions and accusations of misconduct.
Earlier in the day, the Lok Sabha referred two critical bills on “One Nation, One Election” to a Joint Parliamentary Committee comprising 27 Lok Sabha and 12 Rajya Sabha MPs. Shortly after, the House was adjourned sine die, marking the official end of the session.
The session’s controversies included an incident at Parliament’s Makar Dwar gate where BJP MPs Pratap Sarangi and Mukesh Rajput were injured during a scuffle. Congress leader Rahul Gandhi now faces a police case for allegedly inciting the violence, which the BJP has termed an “attempt to murder.” In response, the Congress has filed its own complaint, claiming that party chief Mallikarjun Kharge was injured after being pushed by BJP MPs. Congress General Secretary KC Venugopal defended Gandhi, calling the case against him “a badge of honour” for protecting Ambedkar’s legacy.
The flashpoint for the protests was Amit Shah’s remark in the Rajya Sabha, where he criticized the opposition for invoking Ambedkar’s name repeatedly. Shah’s statement, calling it a “fashion” to say Ambedkar’s name multiple times, was deemed offensive by the opposition, leading to a privilege motion filed by Congress and Trinamool Congress MPs demanding his resignation. Shah, however, refused to step down, asserting that the Congress was distorting facts. Prime Minister Narendra Modi backed Shah, accusing the Congress of using “malicious lies” to deflect from its failures.
The session also highlighted rifts within the opposition, with Congress struggling to secure support from allies like the Trinamool Congress and the Samajwadi Party on key issues, including the Adani controversy and George Soros allegations raised by the BJP. Amidst the turmoil, Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla issued strict directives barring protests at Parliament gates to restore order.
As the Winter Session ends, the political divide remains sharp, setting the stage for further confrontations in the coming months.
