Winter session concludes in ‘Mother of Democracy’ with record suspension of Opposition MPs and a ‘mimic me not’ row

A roundup of the political developments that unfolded this week.

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In this week’s political developments, the Winter Session of Parliament concluded with both Houses being adjourned sine die following a rather unusual and unprecedented suspension of 146 Opposition MPs. The treasury benches pushed through three crucial Bills aimed at revamping colonial-era criminal codes, in addition to introducing changes to the election commissioners' appointment process and granting the government control over telecommunications services during emergencies. On the Opposition front, Mamata Banerjee and Arvind Kejriwal proposed Mallikarjun Kharge as the I.N.D.I.A alliance's potential prime ministerial face. The BJP sought to capitalise on the controversy that followed TMC MP Kalyan Banerjee's mimicry of Rajya Sabha chairman Jagdeep Dhankhar. The Congress declared itself in 'complete poll mode,' gearing up for the 2024 Lok Sabha elections, and BSP supremo Mayawati showed openness to an alliance with the I.N.D.I.A bloc.

Winter session concludes in ‘Mother of Democracy’ with record suspension of Opposition MPs and a ‘mimic me not’ row

The Winter Session of the Parliament concluded on Thursday, leaving a trail of unprecedented suspensions, a security breach, and the expulsion of Trinamool Congress's Mahua Moitra. Both Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha saw disruptions, with Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla reporting a productivity rate of 74 per cent, and Rajya Sabha at 79 per cent. The session ended with the suspension tally reaching 146 MPs, a record in the over seven-decade history of parliamentary democracy in the country.

The treasury benches pushed through three crucial Bills meant to overhaul colonial-era criminal codes, earning praise from Prime Minister Narendra Modi. Union Home Minister Amit Shah said the new laws would end the current practice of “tarikh pe tarikh” (date-after-date) and added, “The soul, body and thought behind the new laws are Indian.”

Other key Bills passed by the Parliament include the Chief Election Commissioner and Other Election Commissioners (Appointment, Conditions of Service and Term of Office) Bill, 2023, the Central Goods and Services Tax Amendment Bill, and the Telecommunications Bill. The election commissioners' appointment bill alters the selection committee by excluding the Chief Justice of India, thereby excluding the judiciary from the appointment process of the Chief Election Commissioner and other Election Commissioners. The Telecom bill grants the government control over the country’s telecommunication services in case of an emergency.

On the Opposition front, West Bengal CM Mamata Banerjee and Delhi CM Arvind Kejriwal proposed Mallikarjun Kharge as the prime ministerial face for the I.N.D.I.A alliance during a bloc meeting. However, the Congress president emphasised that the decision on the PM candidate could wait, and the primary focus should be on formulating a common minimum programme.

The BJP sought to leverage the mimicry of Vice President Jagdeep Dhankhar by TMC MP Kalyan Banerjee. Prime Minister Modi and President Murmu expressed support for Dhankhar, framing the incident as a breach of parliamentary dignity. Congress leader Rahul Gandhi, who was seen videographing Banerjee, said that there was “no discussion on unemployment or the Adani issue,” lamenting that there was one on “mimicry.”

The Congress Working Committee for its part declared the party in ‘complete poll mode,’ preparing for the 2024 Lok Sabha polls by establishing a Screening Committee and finalising a Manifesto Committee. It, however, deferred an announcement on the second edition of Rahul Gandhi’s Bharat Jodo Yatra.

The political landscape also saw BSP supremo Mayawati keeping the door open for a potential alliance with the I.N.D.I.A bloc, urging alliance members to refrain from “unnecessary comments”. Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal, on a 10-day ‘vipassana’ meditation course and facing an ED notice, accused the agency of acting at the behest of the BJP to create “sensational news” ahead of the 2024 contest.

Siddu’s private jet does not fly well with BJP; HDK meets Modi to talk seats

Chief Minister Siddaramaiah faced criticism from Union Minister Pralhad Joshi for using a luxury private jet during his Delhi visit to meet Prime Minister Narendra Modi. Joshi accused Siddaramaiah of prioritizing an "elite lifestyle" over providing drought relief funds to farmers. In response, Siddaramaiah questioned how Modi travels, highlighting the saffron party’s “double standards”.

The winter session of the legislature, held at Suvarna Vidhana Soudha in Belagavi, ended in disappointment as it failed to address regional imbalances in the state, delivering little on the ground for North Karnataka. Hopes for resolutions on language disputes, irrigation, drought relief, and development projects were unmet. Activists expressed dissatisfaction with the lack of focus on border area development and criticised the quality of debates in the Assembly.

JD(S) state president H D Kumaraswamy announced that seat-sharing talks between his party and the BJP for the 2024 Lok Sabha elections would be completed by the end of January. Kumaraswamy, who with party supremo H D Deve Gowda met Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday, said he raised various issues related to Karnataka, including increasing the minimum support price for copra.

As the Congress in Karnataka prepares for the 2024 Lok Sabha polls, it faces challenges in finalising candidates for several constituencies, lacking "winnable" faces. Chief Minister Siddaramaiah stated that candidate selection would be discussed during the Congress Working Committee meeting.

The Veerashaiva Mahasabha, including several state ministers and the government's chief whip, submitted a petition to Chief Minister Siddaramaiah opposing the findings of the caste census. They urged the government to conduct a fresh survey, claiming flaws in the 2015 census. Lingayats and Vokkaligas, dominant communities, stand together against the caste census, expressing concerns about its accuracy and impact on reservation benefits.

In a notable turn of affairs, Karnataka CM Siddaramaiah announced on Friday that his government will do away with the hijab ban on educational institutions imposed by the earlier BJP government in the state.

Israel under increasing pressure over civilian death toll; Baguette-land approves controversial immigration bill

Fierce fighting continued in the Gaza Strip as Israel intensified its bombardment of the northern part of the besieged enclave. Despite ongoing truce talks, Hamas demonstrated its rocket capabilities, striking Tel Aviv. The situation worsened with Israeli snipers reportedly firing on anyone trying to escape the nothern city of Jabalia.

The Israeli military, which mistakenly shot and killed Israeli hostages last Friday, faces increasing global condemnation for the rising civilian death toll and destruction of hospitals in Gaza. The UN Security Council was poised to vote on a resolution urging an urgent and sustainable cessation of hostilities. Human Rights Watch has accused Israel of using starvation as a method of warfare, branding it a war crime. Protests within Israel and calls for a ceasefire from European allies added pressure on Benjamin Netanyahu’s government.

In the United States, the Colorado Supreme Court delivered a historic verdict, ruling that Donald Trump cannot run for Presidential primary in the state in 2024 due to his involvement in the January 6, 2021, insurrection at the Capitol. Citing the 14th Amendment, the court ordered the exclusion of Trump's name from the Republican primary ballot.

In baguette-land, the French parliament approved a controversial immigration bill backed by the far-right, aimed at strengthening the country's ability to deport “undesirable” foreigners. The bill, which seeks to limit foreigners’ access to social benefits, was championed by Interior Minister Gérald Darmanin, and received criticism from politicians on the left as well as advocacy organisations, who see it as a threat to migrant rights.

That’s it from our side this week.

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DH Newsletters Team