Kharge-Rijiju face-off in Rajya Sabha; opposition stalls House over Amit Shah

On Thursday, the Rajya Sabha approved the Appropriation Bill, 2026, which allows the withdrawal of funds from India's Consolidated Fund to cover excess expenditure amounting to approximately Rs 54,067 crore incurred on certain services during the financial year that concluded on March 31, 2023. The bill was subsequently returned to the Lok Sabha after receiving approval through a voice vote, thereby completing the parliamentary procedure for a Money Bill.

Throughout the day, the Rajya Sabha experienced several adjournments due to opposition members demanding the presence of Home Minister Amit Shah in the House, leading to Rajya Sabha Chairperson C P Radhakrishnan instructing Parliamentary Affairs Minister Kiren Rijiju to relay the opposition's sentiments to Shah.

In the morning session, two adjournments occurred as opposition members persistently requested that the chairperson permit Leader of the Opposition Mallikarjun Kharge to address the House. Despite the chairperson's appeal for the opposition MPs to return to their seats before Kharge could address them, Rijiju raised a point of order.

He argued that Kharge has been repeating the same statement daily, which is in violation of parliamentary rules concerning repetition. Upon the House's reconvening at noon, the opposition continued to protest. As the chairperson obliged the opposition's request and allowed Kharge to speak, the treasury benches objected to this. Amidst the ongoing protests from both sides, Kharge stated, "If I don't read the rules, if I don't read my matter, should I read what you (Rijiju) give? It's my right, when to speak, how to speak."

Kharge expressed that the opposition has been pleading for Prime Minister and Home Minister Shah to join the House and deliver a statement. "We request the chair to direct the home minister to come and give a statement," Kharge asserted. When Rijiju objected to Kharge dictating which minister should appear on which date, Radhakrishnan responded, "No, he (Kharge) is not dictating.

He has put his request... As parliamentary affairs minister, you have to reflect the sentiments to HM..." In a subsequent press conference, Kharge revealed that the opposition has been demanding Shah's statement on police "excess" against students for the past 15 days and that both the Prime Minister and Home Minister have been absent from Parliament. Kharge stated, "We requested the RS chair that we want the PM's apology and the HM's statement."