Parliament Monsoon Session: During Tuesday’s Monsoon Session of Parliament, Leader of the Opposition in the Rajya Sabha, Mallikarjun Kharge, delivered a sharp rebuke to the Government, questioning whether the Upper House was being steered by Deputy Chairman Harivansh Narayan Singh or by Union Home Minister Amit Shah.
Kharge questioning the Chair
Addressing the Chair directly, Kharge remarked, “Even our previous leaders have maintained that disruptions are also a part of democracy. But I ask you today, who is running this House— you, or Amit Shah?”
The pointed query provoked a chorus of objections from the treasury benches and prompted an immediate response from Deputy Chairman Harivansh, who has overseen proceedings since the Vice-President’s sudden resignation.
What is the CISF controversy?
Kharge’s criticism followed his written complaint over the alleged deployment of Central Industrial Security Force (CISF) personnel “running into the well of the House” during Opposition protests. In a letter to the Deputy Chairman, he decried, “We are astonished and shocked at the manner in which CISF personnel are made to run into the well of the House when Members are exercising their democratic rights of protest.”
Reiterating the charge during Tuesday’s sitting, Kharge insisted that such actions undermined parliamentary dignity and democratic norms.
Harivansh swiftly rebutted Kharge’s claims, declaring them “absolutely wrong”. He clarified, “I want to make it clear there were no CISF personnel. Only Marshals are allowed to enter the House.”
BJP leader hits back
Backing the Chair, Union Minister Kiren Rijiju accused Kharge of “misleading the people” with false statements. Rijiju demanded accountability, asking, “When the Leader of Opposition writes a false letter to the Chair and makes false statements in Parliament, what action should be taken?”
Hitting out at Kharge over House disruptions, JP Nadda said, “…I have told these people several times that I was in the Opposition for over 40 years, they should take tuition classes from me. I will tell them how the conduct of the Opposition should be. You have been there for only 10 years now. You have to be there for 30-40 years…”
He further said, “Regarding what the LoP said – there are different methods of disturbance. In a democracy, if you wield a stick and it hits me in the nose, your democracy ends where my nose starts. That you have to understand…This is not disturbance, this is anarchy…Also, any person who is in the House to maintain discipline and decorum by the order of the Chair is a Marshal, he is not any member of any paramilitary force…”
Monsoon Sessions marred by disruptions
The Monsoon Session, which commenced on 21 July, has been repeatedly interrupted. Opposition members have staged walkouts and vocal protests over a range of issues, most notably the special revision of Bihar’s electoral rolls. Consequently, both Houses have experienced daily adjournments, with only brief debates on the Pahalgam terror attack and Operation Sindoor managing to proceed uninterrupted.