Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Monday asserted that India has not only lived democracy but has continually strengthened faith in it, pointing to the high voter turnout in the recent Bihar assembly elections—particularly the enthusiastic participation of women—as a shining example of the power of Indian democracy.
In his customary address on the opening day of Parliament’s Winter Session, the Prime Minister also took a sharp but light-hearted swipe at the Opposition, urging its members to avoid “drama” in the House and instead focus on making the session productive. He even offered tongue-in-cheek “tips” to help them improve their electoral performance in the future.
“India has proven that democracy can deliver,” PM Modi declared, while cautioning his own National Democratic Alliance (NDA) against letting the massive victory in Bihar translate into arrogance.
‘No drama please’ – PM’s appeal to Opposition
Taking a clear dig at the Opposition’s reaction to the Bihar election results, PM Modi said he had hoped that with the passage of time, Opposition leaders would have come to terms with their defeat. However, he added, their recent statements suggest that the scale of the loss has unsettled them.
“Don’t do drama in Parliament, but deliver,” the Prime Minister appealed directly to Opposition members. He urged them not to be frazzled by electoral outcomes and instead contribute constructively to the Winter Session.
In a lighter vein, PM Modi went a step further, saying he was ready to give the Opposition tips on how they could change their strategies and perform better in future elections. “They should revamp their course of action after having failed to make a mark in elections,” he remarked.
The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP)-led National Democratic Alliance had recently secured a resounding mandate in the Bihar Assembly elections 2025, winning 202 out of the 243 seats. The Congress-led Mahagathbandhan (INDIA bloc) in the state was restricted to just 35 seats.
Despite the government’s packed legislative agenda, the Winter Session of Parliament, which began on Monday and is scheduled to conclude on December 19, appears headed for turbulence. The Opposition is insistent on a full-fledged debate on the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls, while the government has so far not given a clear commitment to such a discussion.
The government has listed 10 new bills for introduction during the session and has decided to hold a discussion commemorating 150 years of “Vande Mataram,” India’s national song.
The issue of a debate on SIR dominated the three key meetings held on Sunday: the all-party meeting chaired by Defence Minister Rajnath Singh, and the separate Business Advisory Committee (BAC) meetings of the Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha.
Samajwadi Party (SP) leader Ramgopal Yadav reportedly warned that the House would not be allowed to function without a discussion on SIR. Other Opposition leaders conveyed to the government that if the House does not run smoothly, the responsibility would lie with the ruling side, according to sources quoted in earlier reports.
However, after the all-party meeting, Parliamentary Affairs Minister Kiren Rijiju clarified that no leader had explicitly stated they would disrupt the House over the SIR issue.
“On behalf of the government, I assure that we will continue to discuss in order to run the House smoothly. In democracy, there are differences between the parties. Despite differences, the House should not be disturbed to improve productivity,” Rijiju said.
As the Winter Session gets underway, the coming days will reveal whether the Prime Minister’s appeal for constructive engagement and “no drama” will be heeded, or whether the Opposition’s demand for a debate on electoral rolls will lead to prolonged disruptions.
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