The Opposition on Monday staged a walkout from the Rajya Sabha, protesting against the issues of delimitation and the National Education Policy (NEP), as the second phase of the Budget Session commenced.
The Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK) took the lead in attacking the government over the NEP’s implementation in Tamil Nadu.
Similar scenes of uproar unfolded in the Lok Sabha as well, where Opposition members entered the Well of the House and protested as Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan, addressing the Lower House, accused the DMK of being "dishonest" and indulging in "politics" at the expense of Tamil Nadu students' future.
Protests over delimitation
DMK MP P Wilson stated that the party walked out after the Deputy Chairman denied a discussion on "fair delimitation" for Tamil Nadu.
In a post on X, he wrote: "The DMK floor leader Tiruchi Siva and I submitted a notice under Rule 267 of the Business Rules of the Rajya Sabha to discuss fair delimitation for Tamil Nadu. This is critical, as the state has seen minimal population growth due to family planning policies. There is a growing concern about impending delimitation changes set to take effect in 2026."
Defending the government’s stand, Union Health Minister JP Nadda accused the Opposition of attempting to "demean" Parliament through repeated adjournment motions.
"They should read rules before giving notices for adjournment motion," Nadda asserted in the Rajya Sabha. Terming the Opposition's behaviour "irresponsible," he remarked, "Opposition members, including LoP, should go for a refresher course to understand rules and regulations."
Also read: Parliament’s Budget session 2.0 begins: Key issues to watch
Nadda also alleged that the Opposition was deliberately creating a false impression that the government was unwilling to engage in debates.
"It is a vicious design to demean the institution of Parliament, while the government is ready to discuss everything under rules," he said.
DMK MP Tiruchi Siva reiterated his party’s concerns, stating that the proposed delimitation exercise could lead to unfair representation in Parliament.
"We have a very genuine concern about the delimitation exercise that is due to be done in 2026. The birth control process has not been equal (in north and south). If it is done based on population, Tamil Nadu and other states will be losing so many seats. We will come down from 39 to 31, Kerala from 20 to 12, while some states will gain 30-40 more seats. There won’t be fair representation in Parliament," he said.
Siva urged the government to explore alternative measures to ensure southern states are not adversely affected. "The delimitation exercise is due to be done in 2026.
As per the Constitution, it has to be done under the population criterion. Earlier, in the 42nd Amendment and the 84th Amendment, it was decided to defer it for 25 years to allow for birth control progress.
If the exercise proceeds on the basis of population, all southern states will be at a disadvantage, including Tamil Nadu. We are insisting that the government find an alternative solution," he stated.
BJP counters Opposition
The BJP countered the Opposition’s arguments, alleging that they were obstructing parliamentary proceedings. Rajya Sabha MP Rekha Sharma accused the Opposition of consistently disrupting the House.
"The Opposition always obstructs the House, and important issues get sidelined. Today, they will do something similar, and we are ready for that too. Only those issues which serve public interest will be taken up in Parliament," Sharma said.
Echoing similar sentiments, BJP MP Dinesh Sharma accused the Opposition of being more interested in creating disorder than engaging in meaningful discussions.
"The need of democracy today is that the Opposition should participate in healthy discussions and question the ruling party. The ruling party, in turn, should satisfy the Opposition by responding to concerns. However, the Opposition is not ready for debate; they are only prepared for chaos and obstruction," he remarked.
Earlier in the day, MPs in both the Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha raised adjournment motions on urgent issues, including internal security in Manipur and Jammu, underfunded railway projects in Tamil Nadu, stock market losses, and concerns over the delimitation exercise.
The second leg of the Budget Session, which resumed on Monday, is scheduled to continue until 4 April.
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