Opposition Boycotts Tea Meet as Parliament Session Ends

Aakhir Tak – In Shorts

1. The tumultuous winter session of Parliament concluded with the opposition boycotting the Speaker’s tea party.
2. Opposition protested against Home Minister Amit Shah over the alleged insult to B.R. Ambedkar.
3. The ‘One Nation One Election’ bills were sent to a joint parliamentary committee for scrutiny.
4. Both Houses, Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha, faced disruptions due to the ongoing protests.
5. The opposition stated they would not attend the tea party when their MPs were facing FIRs and were denied speaking opportunities.

Aakhir Tak – In Depth

The winter session of Parliament (Parliament Session) ended amid significant uproar, with the opposition boycotting the Lok Sabha Speaker’s customary tea party. The opposition protested the alleged insult to Dalit icon B.R. Ambedkar by Home Minister Amit Shah, leading to the adjournment of both Houses. The INDIA bloc skipped the tea party as a mark of protest.

Opposition Boycott

Opposition leaders stated that there was no reason to attend the tea party when FIRs were being filed against their MPs and they were being denied opportunities to speak in the House. The opposition has accused Amit Shah of insulting Ambedkar during a debate on the Constitution in Rajya Sabha. This issue escalated tensions between the BJP and the opposition, resulting in constant disruptions in the House.

One Nation One Election Bills

Amid the chaos, both Houses adopted a motion to send the two bills to enable ‘One Nation One Election’ to a 39-member joint parliamentary committee for further scrutiny. In Lok Sabha, the opposition chanted ‘Jai Bhim’ slogans as the Speaker read out directives barring demonstrations and protests at the gates of Parliament. As protests continued, the Speaker adjourned the House sine die.

Rajya Sabha Disruptions

Rajya Sabha also witnessed similar protests from the opposition. Chairman Jagdeep Dhankhar expressed that such “persistent disruptions” were eroding public trust in democratic institutions. Dhankhar noted that the winter session’s productivity was only 40.03%, with the Upper House functioning for just 43 hours and 27 minutes. He stated, “As Parliamentarians we are drawing severe criticism from the people of India and rightfully so… It is time to choose between meaningful debate and destructive disruptions,” before adjourning the House.

BJP and Opposition Protests

Before the session began, opposition MPs, including Congress’s Priyanka Gandhi, held a protest march from Vijay Chowk to Parliament, demanding an apology and resignation from Amit Shah. The BJP also held a counter-protest. Party MP Aparajita Sarangi gifted Priyanka Gandhi a bag with ‘1984’ written on it, referencing the year of the anti-Sikh riots.

Controversy and FIR

The conflict between the opposition and the BJP this week centered around Shah’s remarks on Ambedkar. On Thursday, MPs from both sides clashed in the Parliament complex, resulting in injuries to two BJP MPs. The BJP alleged that Congress’s Rahul Gandhi pushed BJP MP Pratap Sarangi. An FIR was registered against Rahul Gandhi after the BJP filed a complaint accusing him of “physical assault and incitement.”

Aakhir Tak – Key Takeaways to Remember

The winter session of Parliament (Parliament Session) ended with turmoil. The opposition boycotted the Speaker’s tea party. The ‘One Nation One Election’ bills were sent to a joint parliamentary committee. The opposition accused Amit Shah of insulting Ambedkar.

Aakhir Tak Editor-in-Chief

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