Winter Session Ends amid Row over Rural Jobs Bill
Parliamentary affairs minister Kiren Rijiju echoed the chairman’s remarks, stating that the Opposition’s conduct during the debate on the same Bill in the Lok Sabha was unacceptable.
New Delhi: The 19-day Winter Session of Parliament concluded on Friday with both Houses adjourned sine die, amid sharp criticism of the Opposition by Rajya Sabha Chairman C.P. Radhakrishnan over disruptions during the passage of the rural employment guarantee Bill.
Addressing the Rajya Sabha in his valedictory remarks, Radhakrishnan said the Opposition’s conduct during the discussion on the Viksit Bharat – Guarantee for Rozgar and Ajeevika Mission (Gramin) Bill was unbecoming of Members of Parliament. He referred to sloganeering, display of placards, disruption of the minister’s reply, tearing of papers and throwing them into the Well of the House, and urged members to introspect and avoid repeating such behaviour.
Parliamentary affairs minister Kiren Rijiju echoed the chairman’s remarks, stating that the Opposition’s conduct during the debate on the same Bill in the Lok Sabha was unacceptable.
Earlier, Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Congress MP Priyanka Gandhi Vadra, NCP-SP leader Supriya Sule, Union ministers Rajnath Singh, K. Ram Mohan Naidu, Rajiv Ranjan Singh ‘Lalan’, Chirag Paswan, Pralhad Joshi and other leaders met Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla in his chamber and thanked him for the conduct of the Winter Session.
Radhakrishnan said that barring the disruption over the rural employment guarantee Bill, the 269th session of the Rajya Sabha was “highly productive”, recording 121 per cent productivity with sittings spanning nearly 92 hours.
He thanked Prime Minister Modi, Leader of the House J.P. Nadda and Leader of the Opposition Mallikarjun Kharge for their felicitations, saying the warmth expressed encouraged him in discharging his constitutional responsibilities.
The chairman noted a significant rise in Zero Hour activity, with an average of over 84 notices received daily, a 31 per cent increase over the previous two sessions, while matters raised averaged more than 15 per day, nearly 50 per cent higher.
Highlighting deliberative work, he said the House held a two-day special discussion on the 150th anniversary of Vande Mataram with participation from 82 members, and a three-day discussion on electoral reforms that saw interventions from 57 members.
During the session, the Rajya Sabha passed or returned eight Bills and adopted a statutory resolution on the Water (Prevention and Control of Pollution) Amendment Act, 2024, with participation from 212 members. A total of 59 Private Members’ Bills were introduced, reflecting what he described as the vibrancy of parliamentary democracy.
He also noted that 58 starred questions, 208 Zero Hour submissions and 87 special mentions were taken up, and that he issued a detailed ruling clarifying the scope of Rule 267.
Addressing a press conference later, Rijiju described the session as “very productive”, saying the eight Bills passed after debates in both Houses would accelerate reforms impacting daily life.
However, he criticised the Opposition for disrupting proceedings in the Lok Sabha during the debate on the VB-G RAM G Bill, alleging that some members stood on desks, threw papers and stalled business, which also prevented a discussion on air pollution despite the government being ready for it.
