The three-week-long monsoon session of Parliament is scheduled to come to an end Friday, when both the Lok Sabha and the Rajya Sabha are set to be adjourned sine die. The tumultuous session was largely washed out due to an acrimonious and bitter standoff between the ruling BJP-led NDA and the Congress-led INDIA Opposition alliance over the ethnic clashes roiling Manipur for more than three months. On the last day of the session Friday too, the proceedings in both the Houses are expected to remain paralysed on account of the continuing face-off between the Treasury and Opposition benches. The bad blood between the two sides flared up during the three-day debate in the Lok Sabha on the no-confidence motion moved by the Congress, which was replied to by Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday. Unleashing a blistering attack on the Opposition, PM Modi set the tone for the BJP's 2024 general election campaign. He attacked the Opposition, the Congress and the Gandhi family in particular, saying “people of the country” have “no confidence” in them, as Liz Mathew and Manoj C G report. The no-confidence motion was defeated by a voice vote not long after the Opposition staged a walkout, saying the PM had not mentioned Manipur even 90 minutes into his speech. Modi said, “What has happened in Manipur is painful, but no one should play politics on it”. He said the Centre and the state government were working together and “Manipur will see the sun of peace rising again”. He also charged that the Congress was to blame for the problems in the Northeast. In a surprise move close on the heels of the PM's reply, the Lok Sabha suspended Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury, leader of the Congress in the House, for “repeated misconduct” pending an investigation by the Privileges Committee. Parliamentary Affairs Minister Pralhad Joshi moved a resolution for Chowdhury's suspension, saying he disturbs the House whenever PM Modi and ministers speak or a debate is underway. The resolution was passed by a voice vote. Chowdhury later said he had said nothing wrong against the Prime Minister and called his suspension the “tyranny of the majority”, as Manoj C G reports. Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge said the suspension of Chowdhury was “undemocratic” and “unfortunate”. It “reflects the arrogance of power and malice. This tradition will prove fatal for both the Constitution and parliamentary democracy. We strongly condemn it,” he said. Manickam Tagore, Congress whip in Lok Sabha, said, “First time for speaking against Modi, largest opposition (party) leader in Lok Sabha Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury suspended. Unbelievable. Undemocratic. Condemn the autocracy.” On Friday, the members of the Congress and other Opposition parties are likely to create an uproar in the Lok Sabha to protest Adhir's suspension. In the Rajya Sabha, the impasse between the government and the Opposition over the Manipur issue is expected to continue. While the Opposition has been demanding a debate on the Manipur situation under rule 267 along with a statement by PM Modi since the start of the session on July 20, the government has been insisting for a short-duration discussion under rule 176. Although the Opposition has now proposed a debate under rule 167 as a “middle path” to break the deadlock, but it is not likely to achieve a breakthrough. The afternoon sittings in both Houses Friday is meant for private members' business. During the session a slew of Bills were passed in the two Houses amid din and pandemonium, with the Government of National Capital Territory of Delhi (Amendment) Bill, 2023 being the exception in this regard, whose consideration saw thorough and fierce debate involving both sides before it was passed. In Delhi, Vice President Jagdeep Dhankhar will flag off a “Har Ghar Tiranga” bike rally of MPs Friday morning. Under the aegis of Azadi Ka Amrit Mahotsav, Har Ghar Tiranga will be celebrated across the nation from August 13- 15 with people being encouraged to hoist flags on the premises of their homes, the Union culture ministry said. The bike rally of MPs will start from Pragati Maidan and cross the India Gate circle and Kartavya Path before reaching Major Dhyan Chand Stadium. Amid ongoing tension in Nuh and other neighbouring districts of Haryana due to the communal violence on July 31, the state BJP has announced it will take out several “Tiranga Yatras” across the state till August 14, involving state BJP ministers, MLAs and other leaders. The Haryana BJP leaders said the main objective of the yatras is “to take a pledge of commitment towards the nation, and to encourage people to take part in the Tiranga festival”. With prohibitory orders still in force in Nuh, it is unclear if the yatra will be permitted to enter the district, Varinder Bhatia reports. The avowed objective of the ruling BJP is to carry out yatras across Haryana, with party workers on motorbikes, cars and on foot holding the Tricolour in their hands. Party leaders said workers and participants will chant patriotic slogans and encourage onlookers to join. Last month, the BJP's Haryana affairs in-charge, Biplab Deb, had announced the party's plans for taking out the Tiranga yatras, at the BJP's Panna Pramukh Sammelan in Pataudi. He had then also asked the panna pramukhs to begin preparations for the 2024 Lok Sabha and Assembly elections, exhorting them to shoulder the responsibility of re-establishing a BJP government at the Centre and in the state in 2024. In Maharashtra, a total of 75 lectures detailing the valour of those who took part in the Marathwada liberation struggle will be organised in schools and colleges in Latur, an official said. These lectures, under the theme 'Shouryagatha Marathwada Muktisangramachi', is a joint initiative of the district information office, education department and Babasaheb Paranjape Foundation. The Marathwada region was under the rule of the Nizam of Hyderabad at the time of India's Independence. The people and farmers rose in revolt and defeated the Razakar militia of the Nizam and succeeded in merging Marathwada with India on September 17, 1948. Meanwhile, the BJP national president, J P Nadda, is set to embark on a two-day visit to the Trinamool Congress (TMC)-ruled West Bengal from Friday. Bengal is considered a key state for the BJP's 2024 roadmap, where the party faces a formidable rival in the form of Chief Minister and TMC supremo Mamata Banerjee. Watch out for The Neerja Chowdhury Column, a weekly insight into shifting sands of national politics. Chowdhury has covered the last 10 Lok Sabha elections. Her book How Prime Ministers Decide, shedding light on rare and unknown facts about six PMs, has recently hit the stands. (With PTI inputs)
