Parliament – Opposition Protests Trigger Heated Confrontation in Lok Sabha Proceedings
Parliament – The Lok Sabha witnessed another turbulent day as sharp exchanges between the ruling alliance and Opposition members disrupted legislative business, leading to protests, allegations, and formal complaints inside Parliament.
The Lok Sabha experienced intense political confrontation on Wednesday after members of the Opposition and the Treasury benches clashed over remarks made during the proceedings. Congress MPs later met Speaker Om Birla and submitted a formal complaint against BJP MP Nishikant Dubey, alleging that he made objectionable comments targeting Congress general secretary K. C. Venugopal. The Opposition also demanded that statements made by Parliamentary Affairs Minister Kiren Rijiju, in which he described Opposition parties as being against Lord Ram, be removed from the official parliamentary records.
House Proceedings Disrupted Amid Sloganeering
The disruption began shortly after the House reconvened at 2 p.m. following an earlier adjournment. Opposition members continued raising slogans and pressed their demands instead of participating in discussions listed for the day. Despite repeated requests from the Chair to allow normal proceedings, the protests continued, preventing a debate on the Bankers’ Books Evidence Bill, 2026.
With the House unable to function smoothly, the legislation was eventually put to a voice vote and approved without any discussion. The Bill introduces legal recognition for digital banking records, allowing them to be accepted as admissible evidence in courts, reflecting the increasing use of electronic documentation in the financial sector.
Rijiju’s Remarks Draw Strong Opposition Response
As the protests continued inside the House, Kiren Rijiju responded to the Opposition’s sloganeering with comments directed at K. C. Venugopal. His remarks immediately triggered objections from Opposition MPs, who accused him of making politically motivated statements. According to parliamentary proceedings, a portion of his comments was later ordered to be removed from the official record.
Rijiju also criticised the Congress, the Samajwadi Party and Left parties, alleging that their political stand amounted to opposing Lord Ram. He further said these parties should apologise to the people for their conduct.
Venugopal Questions Conduct During Proceedings
Addressing journalists outside Parliament after the House proceedings, K. C. Venugopal strongly criticised the minister’s remarks and questioned the manner in which the session was conducted. He alleged that incorrect statements were made against the Congress and other Opposition parties instead of allowing a meaningful discussion on the issues they had raised.
Venugopal also expressed disappointment over what he described as the handling of the proceedings, saying the focus shifted away from parliamentary debate and towards personal criticism. He argued that such an approach did not reflect the standards expected during House business.
Government Blames Opposition for Repeated Disruptions
The government, however, maintained that the Opposition was deliberately obstructing parliamentary work. Rijiju accused Opposition members of entering the House with the intention of disrupting proceedings instead of participating in legislative discussions. He also criticised recent demonstrations by Opposition leaders over allegations relating to donations made to the Ram Temple in Ayodhya, describing those protests as political theatre.
Following continued disruptions, the Lok Sabha was adjourned after the passage of the Bankers’ Books Evidence Bill. Speaker Om Birla observed that Question Hour had failed to function properly since the beginning of the Monsoon Session on July 20 because of repeated protests by Opposition members.
Opposition Raises Multiple Demands Before Session
Earlier in the day, Opposition MPs organised a protest march within the Parliament complex. Their demands included a statement from Union Home Minister Amit Shah regarding allegations of police action against students and a discussion on claims concerning the handling of donations linked to the Ram Temple.
The march included Leader of Opposition Rahul Gandhi, Congress general secretary Priyanka Gandhi Vadra and several other Opposition leaders. The protest began at the Mahatma Gandhi statue at Prerna Sthal and proceeded towards Makar Dwar, highlighting the Opposition’s demand for discussion on the issues before Parliament resumed its business.