NEW DELHI: Congress plans to keep up its aggressive tactics, in preparation for the upcoming Assembly elections.
The first session of the 18th Lok Sabha saw a very aggressive opposition and its multiple attacks on the government. In the first week of the ongoing budget session of Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s 3.0 government too the opposition was once again aggressive. This seems to be the opposition’s strategy, which suggests that it is opposing for the sake opposing, rather than acting as a responsible opposition. Following their win of 99 seats in the Lok Sabha elections, the Congress is behaving as if it will obstruct all progress in both Houses.
The Speakers of both houses have frequently expressed disappointment and frustration with the opposition’s attitude. During Prime Minister Modi’s first two terms, the opposition was notably weak, particularly in the Lok Sabha. As a result, the government and the Speaker encountered minimal challenges in conducting proceedings. But this time, the political landscape has changed inside the house posing significant challenges before the Speakers and the government’s floor managers.
As the Congress makes it clear that it will not let Parliament function properly, Leader of Opposition, Rahul Gandhi, in his overenthusiasm is starting a tradition that will cost him dearly. When Prime Minister Modi was giving his speech on the President’s address, Rahul himself was leading the uproar. Rahul Gandhi attacked the government on the first day of the budget session over NEET and paper leak. He also had a heated argument with Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan over this. There was an uproar in the House. However, the opposition refrained from significant interruptions during the budget speech, but afterward, they criticized the budget as discriminatory, divisive, and self-serving. The Congress announced a boycott of the Niti Aayog meeting and launched attacks on the government both inside and outside the House. The government was prevented from speaking in both Houses. It was evident that the opposition’s strategy was to control proceedings. This approach was apparent throughout the week during the budget discussions.
In the Rajya Sabha, tensions escalated when Mallikarjun Kharge addressed Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman as “Mataji”. Chairman Jagdeep Dhankhar intervened, noting that she was like a daughter to Kharge. The opposition, adhering to its strategy, boycotted the Finance Minister’s speech. In the Lok Sabha, opposition leaders seized every opportunity to attack the government. TMC leaders and Congress MPs also launched their own assaults on the government whenever possible. The situation reached a boiling point when Congress MP Charanjit Singh Channi, seemingly aiming to please Rahul Gandhi, spoke without restraint, forgetting he was in Parliament. His statements about farmers caused an uproar in the House, prompting an angry reaction from Minister of State Ravneet Singh Bittu. The situation in both Houses of Parliament became chaotic, leading to adjournments. In the Lok Sabha, the disturbance reached a point where the Chairperson had no choice but to suspend proceedings. A similar scene played out in the Rajya Sabha.
In the Rajya Sabha, Congress, which had been vocal about the minimum support price, disrupted Agriculture Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan’s speech. He was discussing the UPA government’s actions regarding farmers and MSP when the opposition created commotion, ignoring Chairman Jagdeep Dhankhar’s attempts to restore order. Dhankhar even had to call out Congress MP Randeep Singh Surjewala to stop the interruptions. Despite these efforts, Congress continued with its disruption, forcing another adjournment. When the session resumed, Chouhan had to deliver his speech amid ongoing noise.
The first week of the budget session has shown that the government floor managers will need to engage more effectively with their MPs and find ways to handle opposition disruptions. It’s clear that Congress plans to keep up its aggressive tactics, possibly in preparation for the upcoming elections in Haryana, Maharashtra, and Jharkhand. The opposition expects that the outcome of these elections is likely to influence the future political landscape and the balance of power. However, on the government side, both BJP and its allies TDP and JDU are clear that they will not cause any such changes but will ensure a full term.