The eleventh day of Parliament’s winter session unfolded amid heightened political tension, as the government prepared to accelerate legislative business while the opposition raised urgent concerns over air pollution and key policy shifts.
The winter session of Parliament, scheduled to continue until December 19, has reached a crucial phase where the pace of discussions and passage of pending legislation is expected to quicken significantly. On the eleventh day of the session, the government signalled its intent to push forward with several high-impact bills, even as opposition parties intensified protests over electoral reforms, air pollution, and alleged erosion of democratic norms. The day’s proceedings reflected the broader political climate: a determined government agenda on one hand, and an opposition seeking to force accountability and debate on pressing public issues on the other.
At the centre of the day’s developments was the likelihood of the government presenting a bill to repeal the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (MGNREGA), a flagship welfare programme that has been in place for nearly two decades. According to information shared with Lok Sabha members and reported by PTI, the government plans to replace MGNREGA with a new rural employment framework titled the Viksit Bharat Guarantee for Rozgar and Ajeevika Mission (Gramin). This proposed shift represents a major reimagining of rural employment policy and is expected to spark intense debate across party lines, given MGNREGA’s historical significance and political sensitivity.
Alongside this proposed repeal, the government also intends to introduce the Atomic Energy Amendment Bill, which would open the nuclear energy sector to private participation. The move is being positioned as a step toward boosting investment, technological innovation, and energy security, but it is likely to face scrutiny over safety, regulatory oversight, and the role of private players in a strategically sensitive sector. Other important legislative proposals, including amendments related to corporate regulation and the Higher Education Commission of India, are also on the agenda, indicating a packed legislative calendar in the remaining days of the session.
However, legislative momentum has been repeatedly disrupted by opposition protests, particularly over the issue of electoral reforms and the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls. These protests have led to adjournments and heated exchanges in both Houses, underscoring the challenge of balancing parliamentary debate with legislative productivity.
Government’s Legislative Agenda and Escalating Political Confrontations
The winter session began on December 1 with Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman introducing three bills in the Lok Sabha, setting the tone for an assertive legislative push. Among these, the Manipur Goods and Service Tax Bill (Second Amendment) Bill, 2025 was passed, while the Central Excise (Amendment) Bill, 2025 and the Health Protection and National Security Cess Bill, 2025 were introduced for consideration. These early moves signalled the government’s intention to utilise the session efficiently, despite the likelihood of opposition resistance.
On December 2, the government succeeded in persuading opposition parties to agree to a structured debate on electoral reforms, particularly the contentious SIR process. After initial resistance and repeated disruptions, opposition leaders met Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla, following which Congress leader K. Suresh confirmed that a ten-hour debate on electoral reforms would take place on December 9. A separate discussion on Vande Mataram was scheduled for December 8, reflecting the government’s focus on cultural and national themes alongside institutional reforms.
The political temperature rose further on December 3, when Prime Minister Narendra Modi met BJP MPs from West Bengal within the Parliament complex. During this meeting, the Prime Minister emphasised the need to communicate effectively with the public about the situation in the state and urged MPs to strongly oppose what he described as troubling developments at the grassroots level. This interaction highlighted the ruling party’s efforts to consolidate its narrative and energise its parliamentary contingent.
December 4 saw Congress leader Rahul Gandhi alleging that the government was deliberately preventing him from meeting foreign dignitaries visiting India. According to Gandhi, visiting leaders were advised not to meet the Leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha, a move he described as stemming from the government’s insecurity. The allegation added another layer of political friction, with the ruling party dismissing the claims while the opposition framed them as evidence of shrinking democratic space.
Tensions peaked on December 5 during a heated exchange in the Lok Sabha, when DMK MP T.R. Baalu referred to a High Court judge as an “RSS judge.” Union Minister Kiren Rijiju immediately objected, calling the remark inappropriate and unacceptable. The incident sparked a broader debate on judicial independence, political rhetoric, and the limits of parliamentary speech.
The following week continued to be politically charged. On December 8, the Lok Sabha marked 150 years of Vande Mataram with a detailed discussion initiated by Prime Minister Modi. During his address, the Prime Minister accused the Congress of removing four stanzas of Vande Mataram out of fear of the Muslim League, framing the issue as part of a larger historical and ideological debate. The next day, December 9, electoral reforms were debated in the Lok Sabha, with Rahul Gandhi accusing the BJP and the Election Commission of working together to manipulate votes. Simultaneously, the Rajya Sabha discussed Vande Mataram, where Home Minister Amit Shah alleged that the Gandhi family had consistently disrespected the national song.
On December 10, Amit Shah responded to the electoral reforms debate in the Lok Sabha, asserting that the BJP had nothing to fear from discussions on the subject. This prompted Rahul Gandhi to publicly challenge Shah to a debate on the claims made during his press conference on SIR, leading to a heated exchange that further polarised the House. The confrontational tone carried over into December 11, when BJP MP Anurag Thakur accused TMC MPs of smoking e-cigarettes inside the Lok Sabha chamber. Speaker Om Birla acknowledged the complaint and stated that appropriate action would be taken.
Opposition’s Focus on Air Pollution, Adjournment Motions, and Repeated Disruptions
While political and ideological clashes dominated much of the winter session, the issue of air pollution emerged as a critical concern on the eleventh day. Congress MPs Manickam Tagore and Vijayakumar alias Vijay Vasanth submitted an Adjournment Motion in the Lok Sabha, seeking an urgent discussion on the deteriorating air quality in Delhi-NCR. The motion highlighted that the Air Quality Index had crossed 450, entering the “Severe Plus” category and reaching its highest level of the season. According to the MPs, this situation posed a direct and immediate threat to human life, particularly affecting children, the elderly, and those with pre-existing health conditions.
The adjournment motion underscored the opposition’s attempt to shift parliamentary focus from ideological debates to what it described as an unfolding public health emergency. The MPs argued that the scale and severity of the pollution crisis warranted immediate intervention and accountability from the government. They called for a comprehensive discussion on preventive measures, long-term policy responses, and coordination between central and state authorities.
Earlier, on December 12, Rahul Gandhi had already raised the issue of air pollution in the Lok Sabha, stating that most major cities in India were engulfed in toxic air. He warned that millions of children were suffering from lung diseases and that cancer cases were rising due to prolonged exposure to polluted air. In response, Parliamentary Affairs Minister Kiren Rijiju said the government was prepared for a discussion, though repeated adjournments have limited sustained debate on the matter.
Despite these assurances, the eleventh day saw both Houses being adjourned till noon shortly after proceedings began, reflecting the ongoing difficulty in maintaining order and continuity. Rajya Sabha proceedings were marked by BJP president J.P. Nadda criticising the Congress over slogans raised at a party rally, including the phrase “Modi teri kabar khudegi,” which he described as inflammatory and unacceptable. Such exchanges further contributed to disruptions and adjournments.
The repeated interruptions have raised questions about the effectiveness of the winter session in addressing substantive policy issues. While the government maintains that it remains committed to passing key legislation, the opposition argues that without adequate discussion and transparency, major policy shifts such as the repeal of MGNREGA cannot be justified. The proposed replacement scheme, Viksit Bharat Guarantee for Rozgar and Ajeevika Mission (Gramin), is expected to be positioned as a more holistic and future-oriented approach to rural livelihoods, but details regarding funding, implementation, and safeguards are likely to be closely scrutinised.
As the session moves toward its final days, the contrast between the government’s legislative ambitions and the opposition’s focus on accountability, public health, and democratic processes continues to define parliamentary proceedings. The combination of high-stakes bills, ideological confrontations, and urgent public concerns has made this winter session one of the most politically charged in recent years, with implications that extend well beyond the walls of Parliament.
