The Winter Session of Parliament concluded on Friday with both the Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha being adjourned sine die. The session, which was marked by intense debates and controversies, saw the contentious “One Nation, One Election” bill being referred to a Joint Parliamentary Committee (JPC) after fierce opposition protests.
The bill, which proposes simultaneous elections across the country, was introduced in the Lok Sabha on Wednesday. It faced sharp criticism from opposition members, including Congress leader and Leader of Opposition (LoP) Rahul Gandhi. In response, the government announced the formation of a Joint Parliamentary Committee to review the bill. Among the JPC members are newly-elected Wayanad MP Priyanka Gandhi and Union Minister Anurag Thakur.
Chaotic Sessions and Protests
The Winter Session saw several heated moments. Tensions flared over multiple issues, including the Adani Group indictment by the US Department of Justice and Home Minister Amit Shah’s controversial remarks on Dr. B.R. Ambedkar.
On Thursday, a major row erupted when two BJP MPs sustained injuries during a protest at the Makar Dwar, allegedly after LoP Rahul Gandhi pushed them. The BJP subsequently filed an “Attempt to Murder” case against Rahul Gandhi and demanded his resignation. In retaliation, Congress filed a police complaint against BJP leaders, accusing them of injuring several Congress members, including party chief Mallikarjun Kharge.
On Wednesday, Home Minister Amit Shah’s statement in the Rajya Sabha sparked outrage. Shah had remarked, “If they had taken the name of God so many times instead of Ambedkar, they would have got heaven for seven lives.” The comment led to protests by INDIA Bloc MPs, led by Rahul Gandhi, who demanded Shah’s resignation over the insult to Dr. Ambedkar.
Key Parliamentary Updates:
1. The Winter Session of Parliament ended with both the Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha adjourned sine die on Friday.
2. RJD leader Tejashwi Yadav criticized the FIR filed against Rahul Gandhi, calling it a diversion from the issue of Amit Shah’s remarks on Dr. Ambedkar. Yadav emphasized that the public would not tolerate insults to the architect of the Constitution.
3. The JPC for the “One Nation, One Election” bill was formed with 12 Rajya Sabha MPs, including Ghanshyam Tiwari, Bhubaneswar Kalita, and Randeep Singh Surjewala, among others. 21 Lok Sabha members had been nominated earlier in the week.
4. BJP MP Bansri Swaraj accused Rahul Gandhi and the INDIA alliance of neglecting democracy, alleging that Rahul Gandhi had deliberately pushed through a peaceful protest and injured two BJP MPs. Swaraj also demanded an apology from Gandhi for his behavior.
5. Two significant bills, including the “One Nation, One Election” bill, were presented to the 39-member Joint Parliamentary Committee. The bills aim to amend the Constitution to enable simultaneous elections at both federal and state levels by 2034.
6. On Thursday, BJP MP Tejasvi Surya accused Congress of disrespecting Dr. Ambedkar, stating that the Congress party, along with former Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru, had humiliated Dr. Ambedkar during his political career.
7. Congress MP Randeep Singh Surjewala moved an adjournment motion in the Rajya Sabha on Friday to discuss Amit Shah’s controversial remarks on Dr. Ambedkar.
Overall the Winter Session marks a temporary halt to the ongoing political drama, with both parties gearing up for further discussions on key issues in the future sessions.
