The political standoff between the government and the Opposition escalated outside Parliament on Tuesday. MPs from both sides held separate protests as the Monsoon Session continued to face disruptions.
Opposition MPs gathered at Makar Dwar and demanded that Union Home Minister Amit Shah respond in Parliament to the police action against student protesters in Delhi. They also demanded a discussion on allegations related to donations collected for the Ram temple in Ayodhya.
The protests came as the Monsoon Session entered its final phase. Continued disruptions have raised concerns that several legislative matters could remain pending. Frequent adjournments have also reduced the number of productive working days.
What Is The Opposition Demanding From Amit Shah?
The Opposition’s main demand centres on the police action during a student protest march towards Parliament in Delhi on July 20. Opposition MPs want Shah to explain who authorised the police action. They have also demanded accountability because the Delhi Police comes under the Union home ministry.
The Opposition has raised another issue linked to alleged fraud in donations collected for the Ram temple in Ayodhya. It wants Parliament to debate the allegations. Leader of Opposition Rahul Gandhi has rejected the government’s offer to let Shah make a statement. Gandhi has argued that the Opposition wants specific answers about the police action rather than a general statement from the home minister.
Speaking at a press conference on Monday, Gandhi said: “The question was never that Shah is going to come and give a speech on some general topics in Parliament. The question was always that Shah has to make it clear who authorised the shooting of our youngsters in Delhi.”
The Congress leader also said the Opposition was “not interested in fantasy conversations".
Centre Says Amit Shah Is Ready To Answer
The government has tried to end the parliamentary deadlock by offering Shah an opportunity to speak on the student protests. Parliamentary Affairs Minister Kiren Rijiju said on Monday that Shah was ready to respond to the Opposition’s questions. However, he asked the Opposition to allow Parliament to function normally.
Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla also appealed to protesting MPs to end their demonstrations. Birla said the government had accepted the Opposition’s main demand. He also pointed out that other issues could be raised and discussed in Parliament. The Opposition, however, has refused to accept the government’s proposal as a solution to the ongoing deadlock.
BJP Targets Congress Over Jharkhand Student Protests
The BJP has responded by raising the issue of police action against student protesters in Jharkhand. Jharkhand Police recently used lathis and water cannons during a protest by candidates preparing for JPSC and JSSC examinations in Ranchi. The protesters had alleged irregularities in recruitment examinations.
BJP MPs brought up the Jharkhand incident during their counter-protest on Tuesday. They carried banners targeting Rahul Gandhi and accused the Congress of following different standards in Delhi and Jharkhand.
BJP leader Anurag Thakur said students protesting in Jharkhand also deserved justice. He questioned why the Congress was demanding answers from the Centre when the police action in Jharkhand took place under a government in which the Congress is part of the ruling alliance.
Thakur also criticised Gandhi and Congress MPs for demanding answers from Shah while not attending Parliament. “The home minister is ready to provide answers, but Rahul Gandhi and the Congress party are peddling lies and making reckless statements merely to stay in the headlines," he said.
Priyanka Gandhi And BJP MP Exchange Remarks
The rival demonstrations also led to a sharp exchange between Congress and BJP MPs. Congress leader Priyanka Gandhi Vadra joined the Opposition protest at Makar Dwar. BJP MP Mukesh Dalal raised slogans against Rahul Gandhi and questioned his position on the Jharkhand student protests.
Priyanka Gandhi responded by saying that Rahul Gandhi had already met students who were protesting in Jharkhand. She also accused the government MPs of organising a counter-protest because of pressure from the Opposition. “This is the first time we have seen government MPs staging a protest," she said. Priyanka Gandhi argued that the government should now provide its response in Parliament.
Congress Says Delhi And Jharkhand Cases Are Different
The Congress has rejected the BJP’s attempt to compare the Delhi and Jharkhand incidents. Congress MP Manickam Tagore said responsibility for police action rests with the government that controls the police force involved. He said the Jharkhand government must answer for the police action in Ranchi. In Delhi, however, the Centre controls the police force.
“The Jharkhand government is responsible for what happened in Jharkhand; Rahul Gandhi is neither the chief minister nor the home minister there. Shah is responsible for what happens in Delhi, as the Delhi Police falls under his jurisdiction," Tagore said.
Rahul Gandhi has also criticised the use of force against students in Jharkhand. He has maintained that authorities should handle peaceful protests through dialogue rather than force.
Parliament Faces Continued Disruptions
The political confrontation outside Parliament has continued to reflect the deadlock inside both Houses. Repeated protests have led to frequent adjournments in the Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha. Several working days have therefore seen limited legislative activity.
The government’s offer to allow Amit Shah to speak has so far failed to end the dispute. The Opposition continues to demand specific answers over the Delhi police action. Meanwhile, the BJP has kept the focus on the Jharkhand protests and accused the Congress of double standards.
With the Monsoon Session nearing its end, the continuing confrontation could leave important legislative business pending if the two sides fail to reach an agreement.