The monsoon session of parliament – logjammed by the Opposition over a set of demands – will end today, as per the previously announced schedule.
The standoff over the student protests is likely to continue on the last day of the session. The opposition Members of Parliament (MPs) protested at Makar Dwar before the 11 am scheduled beginning of the session proceedings today.
The session that began on 21 July saw frequent disruptions in both the Houses amid Opposition demands, calling for a discussion on alleged police brutality on protesters at Jantar Mantar, Ayodhya Ram Mandir donation row, among other issues.
The Opposition has also demanded Home Minister Amit Shah’s statement on the alleged police excesses during the 20 July protest at Jantar Mantar.
Shah on Wednesday said he is willing to answer the Opposition’s question. With the Opposition rejecting Shah’s offer of an extended debate, disruptions and sloganeering are set to rock both Rajya Sabha and Lok Sabha, unless the two sides reach a last-minute agreement on the terms of a discussion on Thursday, 13 August.
Will the session be extended?
Prime Minister Narendra Modi-led Union government has indicated that the session could be extended. Parliamentary Affairs Minister Kiren Rijiju on Wednesday suggested that the Monsoon Session could be extended if the opposition agrees to a discussion on Thursday.
“Extension of the session is a very small matter. We are saying that even if Congress says at 11 AM tomorrow (13 August) that it is ready for discussion, we will extend the time,” he said while responding to a query during a media interaction.
Leader of Opposition in Lok Sabha, Rahul Gandhi, hit back at Shah, accusing him of being absent for the past 20 days and saying they were now making a last-ditch attempt to revive their position. “The balloon has burst, and now, at the last moment, they are trying to refill the gas. Amit Shah has no courage, the home minister has no courage,” Gandhi said.
7 Bills in 36 Minutes
On Wednesday, the Parliament cleared the Bill to rename Kerala as Keralam and the NCDC Amendment Bill. So far, the Parliament has cleared at least 19 Bills, seven of which were passed in 36 minutes without discussion.
Congress MP Gaurav Gogoi accused the Centre and Union Home Minister Amit Shah of creating an “illusion” that no discussion had taken place in Parliament on education, the paper leak issue or the ongoing student movement.
“The government, and particularly the Home Minister, are trying to spread an illusion that there was no discussion inside the House on education, Jantar Mantar, or regarding the student movement,” Gogoi told reporters here on Wednesday.
Reacting to Shah’s statement about the Centre’s willingness to discuss the issue, Gogoi said there had already been a detailed discussion in Parliament when the bill on paper leaks was introduced. He added that the Leader of the Opposition (LoP) in the Lok Sabha, Rahul Gandhi, also participated in detailed discussions in Parliament, and other BJP leaders were also seen while Shah was absent.
“The Union Home Minister doesn’t want to give a statement; he shies away from giving a statement. His statement is pending, and he’s dodging exactly that. By making excuses, he is trying to run away from the House,” he said.
Govt ready to discuss student protests: Shah
This comes after Amit Shah stated that he is ready to “answer all questions” in Parliament on the student protest concerning the NEET paper leak and urged the Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla to consult the Opposition for a discussion and allocate time for it.
In a letter to the Lok Sabha Speaker, Shah stated that the Public Examinations (Prevention of Unfair Means) Amendment Bill, 2026, had already been discussed during the ongoing session of Parliament and, despite the discussion on the Bill, no Opposition member had raised the issue of the NEET examination in the House at that time.
“Nevertheless, the government is ready to discuss this issue again,” he added.
Congress avoiding debate: Nitin Nabin
Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) president Nitin Nabin has accused the Congress and the INDIA bloc of avoiding discussions on issues concerning the people and undermining democratic values during the ongoing Monsoon Session of Parliament.
In a post on Xon Wednesday, the BJP president said that the Parliament is the “sacred temple of democracy” where people’s issues should be discussed, but alleged that the Congress repeatedly shifted its demands and avoided meaningful debate during the session.
The party alleged that the Opposition initially demanded a discussion on youth-related issues but later backed out after the government expressed its readiness to hold one.
“The government was ready for discussion on every topic, but the opposition kept running away from the people’s issues. Why, after all, was the opposition fleeing from Debate, Discussion, and Dialogue?” Nabin said.