13 August,2026 01:48 PM IST | New Delhi | mid-day online correspondent
Lok Sabha. File Pic
The Lok Sabha was adjourned sine die on Thursday, bringing the Monsoon Session of Parliament to an end amid persistent Opposition protests and sloganeering inside the House.
Proceedings on the final day were brought to a close shortly after they commenced, following the traditional playing of Vande Mataram.
The conclusion capped a turbulent session marked by repeated disruptions and a prolonged political confrontation between the ruling BJP and the Opposition over a range of issues.
Political tensions were also visible outside the House, where BJP and Opposition MPs staged counter-protests at the Makar Dwar steps in the Parliament complex.
BJP MPs targeted Leader of the Opposition Rahul Gandhi, accusing the Congress of failing to adequately acknowledge the ongoing student protests in Jharkhand.
The demonstrations came amid a wider confrontation between the two sides over student issues and the functioning of Parliament.
Opposition MPs later staged their own protest, with Congress leader Pawan Khera among those participating.
Some Opposition MPs were seen carrying a toy monkey while raising the slogan, "56 inch ka chhota bandar, jaldi aao sadan ke andar."
Congress MP Imran Pratapgarhi accused the ruling party of being responsible for the continued disruptions in Parliament.
Pratapgarhi said the Opposition had been demanding that the Home Minister make a statement in the House and that the Prime Minister respond to the issues being raised.
He argued that such demands were part of the Opposition's role in holding the government accountable.
Pratapgarhi also questioned why the Home Minister and Prime Minister were not present during the debate on the Public Examinations Amendment Act, which he said concerned the future of students across the country.
He maintained that the Opposition was prepared to formally submit the issues it wanted discussed and said the matters had repeatedly been raised during Business Advisory Committee meetings.
Union Minister Manohar Lal Khattar, meanwhile, accused the Opposition of being unwilling to listen or participate constructively in discussions.
Khattar said the Lok Sabha was fundamentally a forum for debate and that there was little purpose in proceeding if discussions could not take place.
He stressed that the House represented people from across the country and could not function according to the wishes of any single person or political group.
BJP MP Madan Rathore also criticised Rahul Gandhi, accusing the Congress leader of repeatedly changing his position and demands on key issues.
Rathore said Gandhi, as Leader of the Opposition, should conduct himself with greater seriousness.
He also criticised Gandhi over his remarks concerning the media, arguing that such comments amounted to disrespect towards what he described as the fourth pillar of democracy.
The political exchanges on the final day reflected the wider tensions that characterised the Monsoon Session.
The session witnessed repeated disruptions both inside Parliament and within the Parliament complex as the government and Opposition remained locked in disputes over legislative, economic, student-related and regional issues.
The standoff spilled outside the chambers on several occasions, with rival protests and slogan-shouting by MPs becoming a recurring feature.
With the Lok Sabha adjourned sine die on Thursday, the stormy Monsoon Session ultimately concluded against the backdrop of the same political confrontation that had disrupted proceedings on several days.
(With inputs from ANI)
