Monsoon session heads into storm over paper leaks, Ram Temple row

Government prepares to introduce at least five new Bills this session

Opposition leaders staged a symbolic walkout from the customary all-party meeting on Sunday ahead of Parliament’s Monsoon session, protesting the government’s decision to invite the Nationalist Citizens Party of India (NCPI) even as Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla is yet to decide on petitions seeking the disqualification of its MPs. 

They also pressed for discussions during the session on examination paper leaks, activist Sonam Wangchuk’s protest, ethanol blending, the deaths of Indian sailors in West Asia, the government’s handling of foreign policy, and allegations of theft of donations at Ayodhya’s Ram temple. 

The protest underscored the likelihood of a turbulent Monsoon session, which begins Monday and is scheduled to hold 19 sittings over 25 days until August 13. 

The government has listed five new Bills for introduction, including legislation to amend the Prevention of Insults to National Honour Act, 1971, making any insult to or obstruction of the singing of Vande Mataram a punishable offence. 

Notably absent from the legislative agenda released on Thursday was a fresh Constitution amendment Bill to provide 33 per cent reservation for women in the Lok Sabha and state assemblies by 2029, along with the accompanying delimitation legislation to expand the strength of the Lower House. The Constitution (131st Amendment) Bill was defeated in the Lok Sabha on April 17 during the extended Budget session. 

Sources in the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) said the government would reintroduce the legislation only after securing the numbers for the required two-thirds majority. According to party sources, it has reached out to parties that opposed the earlier Bill and may include a provision increasing Lok Sabha seats across all states by 50 per cent to address concerns in southern states over the impact of delimitation. 

Congress General Secretary Jairam Ramesh dismissed media reports suggesting Opposition support for the proposed delimitation framework. “Certain television channels are flashing obviously planted news that there has been support for the Delimitation Bill in the all-party meeting. This is completely bogus and fake news,” Ramesh said in a post on social media. Congress leaders said the party remained in touch with its allies and that the Opposition continued to oppose the delimitation proposal. 

The Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK) reiterated its support for women’s reservation but sought clarity on delimitation. “The DMK is in favour of the women’s reservation Bill on the current strength in the Lok Sabha, but we want more clarity on the delimitation issue,” DMK MP Tiruchi Siva told reporters. If delimitation reduced the representation of southern states, it should be deferred by 25 years, he said. 

As the meeting began, Opposition leaders also protested the Lok Sabha Speaker’s decisions to allot separate seating to rebel Trinamool Congress MPs and recognise the merger of six Shiv Sena (UBT) MPs with the Eknath Shinde-led Shiv Sena.

Parties joining the walkout included the Congress, DMK, Samajwadi Party, Jharkhand Mukti Morcha, Aam Aadmi Party (AAP), National Conference, Left parties, and Shiv Sena (UBT). The leaders returned to the meeting within minutes after registering what Ramesh described as a protest against a “miscarriage of justice” in inviting the NCPI, which he called the “parking place for 20 so-called rebel Trinamool Congress MPs”. 

NCPI leader Sudip Bandyopadhyay, however, insisted that his party is recognised by the Election Commission and is now the National Democratic Alliance’s largest constituent in the Lok Sabha. He also argued that the remaining Trinamool Congress MPs should not continue occupying front-row seats after 20 of the party’s 28 MPs joined the NCPI. 

Parliamentary Affairs Minister Kiren Rijiju defended the government’s decision. “The NCPI requested recognition from the Lok Sabha Speaker; how can you ignore them? It is the government’s duty to invite everyone,” he told reporters. 

Bandyopadhyay said NCPI MP Kakoli Ghosh Dastidar would submit the required documents to the Speaker on Sunday and that the Speaker would decide whether the party would function as a separate bloc in the House. 

The Trinamool Congress’ Mahua Moitra questioned the invitation, noting that petitions seeking the disqualification of the 20 rebel MPs remain pending. “There is no room for a separate bloc after the 91st Amendment of the Constitution. So on what grounds did the Parliamentary Affairs Minister extend an invitation to these 20 rebel MPs?” she asked. 

Shiv Sena (UBT), whose six Lok Sabha MPs have joined the Shinde-led Sena, and the AAP, whose seven of 10 Rajya Sabha MPs joined the BJP in April, joined the protest. 

The government said it expected the Opposition to raise issues through debate rather than disruption. Rijiju said 58 MPs from 40 political parties attended the meeting. “If they want to oppose, they should oppose through debate, not by creating chaos and protests. We will cooperate and hope they will also cooperate,” he said. 

Earlier in the day, Congress leaders Rahul Gandhi and Mallikarjun Kharge released a joint letter to Prime Minister Narendra Modi seeking an independent probe into allegations of embezzlement of donations at the Shri Ram Janmabhoomi Teerth Kshetra Trust.  “Lakhs of devotees who donated their hard-earned money with faith, devotion and trust are feeling betrayed by the theft,” Kharge posted on X, while sharing the letter dated July 18.