The Winter Session of Parliament will end today amid renewed protests and controversies. Congress MPs, led by Priyanka Gandhi Vadra, staged a demonstration in the Parliament complex over Union Home Minister Amit Shah’s recent remarks on Dr. B.R. Ambedkar. In response, BJP MPs also organized a parallel protest, accusing the Opposition of disrespecting the architect of the Indian Constitution.
As the session drew to a close, the government was expected to introduce the ‘One Nation, One Election’ bill, which proposes the formation of a Joint Parliamentary Committee comprising 27 Lok Sabha MPs and 12 Rajya Sabha MPs. However, the ongoing protests cast a shadow over the proceedings, marking a turbulent end to the session.
The past weeks saw frequent disruptions, with the latest standoff leading to a police case against Congress Leader of Opposition Rahul Gandhi. The BJP had filed a complaint after two of its MPs were injured during a protest at Parliament’s Makar Dwar. Congress responded with its own complaint, alleging that party chief Mallikarjun Kharge had been injured after being pushed by BJP MPs. Congress General Secretary KC Venugopal called the case against Rahul Gandhi a “badge of honour,” asserting that it was a result of his defense of Ambedkar’s legacy.
BJP MPs Pratap Sarangi and Mukesh Rajput, who were hospitalized due to injuries sustained during the protests, were at the center of the ongoing clash between the Treasury and Opposition benches outside Parliament. The protests erupted following Shah’s comments in the Rajya Sabha, where he said that using Ambedkar’s name had become a “fashion,” a remark that the Opposition found insulting. Shah had added, “If they had taken God’s name as many times, they would have gone to heaven.”
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While Shah has accused the Opposition of misinterpreting his words and using edited videos, Congress and Trinamool Congress MPs have moved a privilege motion against him and demanded his resignation. Congress further accused the BJP of orchestrating the violence to divert attention from the Ambedkar controversy.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi supported Shah, accusing Congress of using “malicious lies” to cover up its own issues. Meanwhile, following the chaotic scenes, Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla issued strict instructions barring protests at Parliament gates and urged MPs not to block any entrances.
Throughout the session, Congress struggled to gain support from its allies, including Trinamool Congress and the Samajwadi Party. Both parties had distanced themselves from Congress over key issues like the Adani controversy and claims linking BJP to financier George Soros.
