The Monsoon Session of Parliament is set to conclude on Thursday, but the deadlock between the government and the Opposition over student protests is expected to continue.
Both Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha are likely to witness further disruptions and sloganeering unless the two sides reach an agreement on the terms of a discussion.
The Opposition has rejected Home Minister Amit Shah’s offer of an extended debate, while the government has indicated that the session could be extended or a special sitting may be considered if the Opposition agrees to a discussion. Leader of Opposition Rahul Gandhi criticised the move, accusing the Home Minister of remaining absent for nearly 20 days and making a last-minute attempt to address the issue.
The central point of the confrontation has been the Opposition’s demand for Shah’s statement on alleged police excesses during the July 20 protest at Jantar Mantar. Shah on Wednesday said he was ready to respond to questions raised by Opposition parties and asked them to confirm in writing whether they wanted a debate.
The Bills to rename Kerala to Keralam and amend the National Centre for Disease Control (NCDC) Act have been passed. As many as 19 bills have been cleared by Parliament, and seven were passed in just 36 minutes without any debate.