India
oi-Madhuri Adnal
Parliament is headed for another turbulent sitting on Monday, with the Centre showing strong determination to push 4 bills through before the House adjourns on August 13, even as the Congress-led Opposition continues its protests over the alleged Ram Mandir donation scam and the July 20 violence against students in Delhi.
With the Monsoon Session entering its final stretch and only nine working days left before it concludes, the government has lined up four important bills, including a proposal to raise the sanctioned strength of Supreme Court judges to 37, amendments concerning the MSME sector, a new statutory framework for the Indian Statistical Institute, and legislation to update century-old provisions governing evidence contained in bankers’ books to reflect the realities of digital banking.
Parliament’s Monsoon Session nears its August 13 conclusion with the Centre pushing four bills, including increasing Supreme Court judges to 37, while the Opposition continues protests over alleged Ram Mandir donation scams and July 20 violence.
The Centre has stepped up its legislative drive after securing the passage of two bills last week even as Opposition protests continued inside both Houses. Parliament approved legislation granting Vande Mataram the same legal protection as the National Anthem and also cleared amendments related to delayed registration of births and deaths during brief proceedings.
The government has rejected criticism that it is rushing bills through without discussion. Parliamentary Affairs Minister Kiren Rijiju argued that repeated adjournments caused by Opposition protests have left little room for detailed debate and urged MPs to allow legislative business to proceed.
Addressing the House, Rijiju said, “You say that the government passes bills by steamrolling them through… You cannot make this allegation, because you have missed your opportunity. … Mr. Chairman, I only wish to say that regarding any bills we bring forward in the future… …if you create such a ruckus over them as well, it will not be good at all. … Therefore, please cooperate and do not create a ruckus.”
However, Opposition parties are preparing to resume their protests as soon as Parliament meets. The Congress has made the alleged embezzlement of Ram Mandir donations a major political issue and is expected to press the government for answers. At the same time, Opposition MPs are likely to renew their demand for Union Home Minister Amit Shah to address Parliament on the violence reported during the student march towards Parliament on July 20.
Another bill likely to generate political friction later in the session is the proposed amendment to the Foreign Contribution (Regulation) Act. Opposition parties argue that the changes would give authorities wider powers to take over assets created through foreign funding if organisations fail to renew their FCRA registration. Trinamool Congress leader Derek O’Brien has called for the proposal to be referred to a parliamentary committee before it is considered for passage.
The Ram Mandir donation controversy has also escalated outside Parliament. Congress leader Pramod Tiwari accused the BJP of treating the Ram Temple as a political project rather than a matter of faith, alleging that electoral calculations influenced both the construction timeline and the temple’s inauguration.
The allegations stem from claims made in June that donations offered at the Ram Mandir in Ayodhya were siphoned off during the counting process. A preliminary inquiry by a Special Investigation Team led to an FIR against eight people. Following directions from the Supreme Court, the Uttar Pradesh government later constituted a fresh three-member SIT headed by Inspector General Kiran S to continue the investigation.
Opposition floor leaders are scheduled to meet before proceedings begin on Monday to coordinate their strategy, setting the stage for yet another confrontation between the government and the Opposition as the Monsoon Session enters its final phase.
