New Delhi erupted in parliamentary drama on Thursday as the Rajya Sabha turned into a battleground over a contentious issue from the Lok Sabha. Opposition leaders, furious over the Leader of Opposition’s denied speaking time in the Lower House, stormed the Upper House to voice their grievances. The ruling coalition hit back hard, insisting that proceedings of one house cannot be dragged into the other, underscoring the independent functioning of India’s bicameral legislature.
Mallikarjun Kharge, the Opposition Leader in Rajya Sabha, took the floor with a passionate defense of democratic principles. ‘Parliament embodies the nation’s democracy, comprising both Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha equally,’ he declared, invoking the Constitution’s bicameral framework. Kharge accused the government of muzzling dissent by silencing the Opposition Leader, who sought to address critical national and global issues.
Parliamentary Affairs Minister Kiren Rijiju countered sharply, branding the Opposition’s tactics as a deliberate ploy to disrupt Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s speech. ‘This is calculated chaos,’ Rijiju fumed, questioning the timing and motive behind raising the Lok Sabha matter now. He emphasized that each house operates under distinct rules, and no provision mandates one house’s adjournment to affect the other.
Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman joined the fray, expressing dismay over unparliamentary language used by the Opposition. She specifically objected to the term ‘lynching’ employed in debates, reminding members of past incidents under Congress rule in Rajasthan. ‘Such rhetoric undermines decorum,’ she stated, urging restraint.
Tensions peaked as Opposition MPs staged a walkout, protesting what they called an assault on free speech and democratic values. The session dissolved into shouts and disorder, highlighting deep divisions between the treasury and opposition benches. As the dust settles, questions linger on whether this clash signals broader gridlock in the winter session, with both sides digging in on matters of procedure, privilege, and power.