New Delhi: As the winter session of Parliament commenced, Rahul Gandhi accused the government of marginalising the Opposition — saying that earlier it was customary for Leaders of Opposition to meet visiting dignitaries like Putin, but now “they don’t want us to meet them” because of what he called “insecurity”.
“It is very weird. There is a protocol, and all visiting dignitaries meet the LoP. The protocol is being reversed by the government and all their policies are based on this. They don’t want anyone to raise their voice. They don’t want to listen to any other opinion. They should abide by the protocols of a democracy. God knows what they are scared of… In a democracy, everyone should be able to put forward their opinions, discussions must be held, and appropriate action must be taken… The government is insecure, and this decision is a reflection of that… What will they get by breaking and reversing this protocol? This is their insecurity… The image of democracy is tarnished in the world,” Priyanka Vadra Gandhi told reporters outside Parliament.
Session kicks off amid protests and legislative push
The 2025 Winter Session — covering the 6th session of the 18th Lok Sabha and the 269th session of Rajya Sabha — began on schedule on 1 December, running until 19 December, with 15 sittings planned.
But from Day 1 itself, protests by the Opposition over the ongoing electoral roll revision — Special Intensive Revision (SIR) — disrupted proceedings. Both Houses faced walkouts and adjournments, delaying business.
Pollution & Public Health: Opposition demands action in Lok Sabha
On Day 4, Opposition MPs — including Manickam Tagore and Vijay Vasanth — moved adjournment motions in Lok Sabha seeking a full debate on the alarming air-pollution levels in Delhi-NCR and across North India. They demanded that the Centre declare the situation a national health emergency.
MPs criticized the government’s response as inadequate, calling out “advisories instead of action,” and demanded a legally backed national clean-air mission, strict liability for polluters, and restoration of monitoring infrastructure.
Session atmosphere: Tug-of-war between governance and protests
The 2025 Winter Session highlights the tension between the government’s legislative ambitions — especially fiscal reforms — and the Opposition’s pushback on issues of democracy, public health, and representation. On one hand, the government is advancing bills like the Excise Amendment to ensure revenue streams post-GST cess. On the other, the Opposition is raising fundamental questions about electoral integrity (SIR), workers’ rights (new labour codes), pollution crisis, and diplomatic norms.
