New Delhi: The winter session of Parliament began with much fanfare as the government and the opposition locked horns over the sudden exit of former Vice President Jagdeep Dhankhar, deteriorating air quality in Delhi-NCR and the ongoing Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of voter lists in several states.After Prime Minister Narendra ModiBefore the start of the session, there were repeated disruptions in the Lok Sabha address, with the ruling party accusing the opposition MPs of not allowing the House to function. Between 11 am and 2 pm, the proceedings of the House were adjourned a total of 3 times, while only about 50 minutes of legislative work took place. Demanding a debate on SIR, opposition MPs also staged a walkout from the Rajya Sabha. Here’s what happened in Parliament on the first day:Prime Minister’s taunt on the oppositionBefore the proceedings began, Prime Minister Narendra Modi took a sharp dig at the opposition for its recent performance in the Bihar Assembly elections and cautioned them against turning Parliament into a battleground for frustration or a stage for theatrics.Addressing the media before the session, PM Modi said, “For some time now, our Parliament has been used either as a warm-up arena for the elections or as an outlet for frustration after defeat.”He said, “I would request that everyone thinks about the current issues. There is a lot of room for drama, whoever wants to do drama can do it. There should be delivery, not drama here.”PM Modi also said that the game which the opposition has been playing for the last 10 years is no longer acceptable to the people.“They should change their strategy – I am ready to give them some suggestions,” he said.He urged all parties to recognize the purpose of Parliament and “come out of the frustration of defeat”.‘The drama is not allowing discussion’Responding to the comments, Congress MP Priyanka Gandhi Vadra said urgent matters like pollution and SIR exercise are important for democracy and should be discussed openly in Parliament.Speaking to reporters outside Parliament, Priyanka Gandhi said, “Pollution, the SIR process and other urgent issues are extremely important for democracy. Be it election environment or SIR, these are the major issues. If they are not to be discussed then what is Parliament for? Allow the government to discuss. Speaking on issues or raising questions is not drama.Taking a sharp dig at the government, he said, “The drama is not allowing discussion. The drama is avoiding democratic debate on issues important to the public. We talked about pollution – why should it not be raised? Today I requested time during zero hour. Why are we not being allowed to discuss it?”He also criticized PM Modi’s “enjoy the weather” comment and wondered whether he knew what was happening in Delhi and across the country.When asked about PM Modi’s comments, Priyanka told reporters, “The Prime Minister is saying, ‘Enjoy the weather’. Which weather should the people of Delhi enjoy? At least look outside and see what is happening in the country.”The new Vice President was welcomedPM Modi also praised newly appointed Rajya Sabha Chairman CP Radhakrishnan and expressed confidence that under his leadership the Rajya Sabha members will maintain the dignity and prestige of the House while contributing to the progress of the country.PM Modi said, “His journey inspires all those who want to serve the society.”He said, “From his youth till today, he has been committed to serving the society. His journey from an ordinary family to this position inspires all who want to contribute to public life.”Recalling his tenure in various constitutional roles, Modi said, “Whether as Governor in Jharkhand, Maharashtra, Telangana, or as Lieutenant Governor of Puducherry, he forged close ties with the local communities. In Jharkhand, he regularly visited villages and interacted with tribal communities, often ignoring protocols and logistics to ensure access.Uproar over Dhankhar’s ‘sudden exit’Meanwhile, welcoming the new Chairman, Leader of Opposition in Rajya Sabha Mallikarjun Kharge referred to the “unexpected and sudden exit” of his predecessor Jagdeep Dhankhar, which drew a sharp reaction from the ruling party.“This was a completely unexpected and sudden departure from the office of the Chairman of the Rajya Sabha, which is unprecedented in the annals of parliamentary history. I was disappointed that this House did not get an opportunity to bid him farewell,” he said, which triggered an uproar from the ruling party.The statement drew a sharp reaction from Parliamentary Affairs Minister Kiren Rijiju, and criticized Kharge for mentioning Dhankhar’s resignation on a “serious occasion”.“It is a very important occasion…The Prime Minister has made very dignified remarks as part of the felicitation ceremony. Rijiju said, why did the Honorable Leader of Opposition mention a matter which was not necessary to be raised at this time…“The language you used for the former president, the way you insulted him, the resolution you moved – that copy is still with us,” he said.Leader of the House J.P. Nadda also intervened and urged the members to maintain the dignity of the occasion. He also mentioned the defeat suffered by the opposition alliance including Congress in the recent Bihar Assembly elections.“This program is a sacred occasion. We must maintain the dignity of the occasion. The issue that the Leader of the Opposition has raised – if we start discussing it, it is irrelevant… We also have to mention that you had moved no-confidence motions against him twice. This is a hindrance to the ongoing debate in a good and conducive environment.”“Talking about what the Prime Minister said outside… You must have been deeply saddened by the defeat in Bihar and Haryana… But you should tell your pain and discomfort to the doctor. When the time comes, you should talk to the doctor…” he added.‘Vote thief, leave the seat’Within 15 minutes of legislative business, opposition MPs disrupted the Lok Sabha proceedings by raising slogans against “electoral fraud”. The opposition MPs also demanded a discussion on the ongoing special intensive revision of electoral rolls in 9 states and 3 union territories.Due to this, current Speaker Sandhya Rai adjourned the proceedings, criticizing the opposition for not allowing the House to function.“I request everyone to remain in their seats. Everyone wants to talk about their issues. Don’t you want the House to function?” Rai asked the opposition MPs amid repeated slogans of “vote chor, gaddi chhod”.Opposition walkoutMeanwhile, Rijiju said in the Rajya Sabha that the government was not against holding a discussion on SIR or election reforms, as he asked the opposition not to insist on setting a deadline.He was responding to opposition members who were demanding a special intensive revision of the electoral rolls in the House or an urgent discussion on electoral reforms.Not satisfied with the minister’s reply, members of many opposition parties walked out of the Upper House.Responding to the opposition parties’ demand for a particularly thorough revision of the electoral rolls or immediate initiation of discussions on electoral reforms, the minister sought more time to respond to the matter.“No one is undermining any matter that was brought up by the opposition yesterday in the all-party meeting or the Business Advisory Committee (BAC). What I am saying is that it is under consideration of the government,” Rijiju said.“If you set the condition that it has to be taken today, it becomes difficult because you have to give some wiggle room,” he said.The minister said that some opposition parties also raised issues other than the SIR and also stressed the need to protect their rights.“However, I am saying again, whatever you call it – the matter related to special intensive revision or electoral reforms or whatever – I have said before the beginning of the winter session that the government is not averse to discussing anything,” Rijiju said.MPs brought stray people inside the Parliament complexCongress MP Renuka Chaudhary courted controversy after bringing a stray dog into the Parliament complex on the first day of the winter session, disregarding opposition from fellow MPs, while saying that “real dogs are sitting in Parliament” who regularly bite people.However Choudhary claimed that he found the puppy on his way to Parliament that morning. After witnessing a collision between a scooter and a car, he saw a puppy on the side of the road. Concerned about its safety, he carried it in his vehicle. The animal remained inside the car and was gone when the vehicle left it.“Is there a law? I was on my way. A scooter collided with a car. This little puppy was roaming on the road. I thought it would get hit by the wheel. So I picked it up, put it in the car, came to Parliament and sent it back. The car was gone, and so was the dog. So what’s the point of this discussion?” Chaudhary explained to ANI. Further justifying himself and taking a dig at the government, he said that “the real dogs are sitting in the Parliament.,
