With a number of acts that bring it no glory, a Parliament session ends rather unceremoniously

The just-concluded winter session of Parliament has, sadly, nothing to show in terms of furthering or strengthening democracy. It did witness a flurry of activity, ranging from impassioned speeches to breaches of decorum and the passage of crucial Bills, not to forget the smoke bomb that set into motion a chain of events leading to the suspension of a record number of Opposition MPs. A major takeaway, apart from cash-for-query accused Mahua Moitra’s expulsion and the suspension of MPs, was the passage of a few significant Bills, particularly those related to criminal laws and the appointment of the Chief Election Commissioner and Election Commissioners. But the passage of these important Bills without any discussion was overshadowed by the record number of suspension of MPs for "unruly behaviour" following the security breach. Their fault: demanding a statement from Prime Minister Narendra Modi or Home Minister Amit Shah on the issue, albeit in a rather unruly manner. The Speaker acted swiftly to suspend almost one-third of the Lok Sabha, probably to set an example. But his action set a wrong precedent instead. Manoj Kumar Jha, an RJD MP, and Congress leader Shashi Tharoor called the suspension “a badge of honour.” Mahua Moitra’s expulsion earlier would also go down as the fastest judgement by the Speaker, 90 minutes to be precise, as the hallmark of winter session. However, nothing beats the suspension of MPs for demanding a just debate on breach of security in Parliament.

On the sidelines also, there was no dearth of controversies. Trinamool Congress' (TMC) suspended MP Kalyan Banerjee was seen mimicking Vice-President Jagdeep Dhankhar while Congress leader Rahul Gandhi filmed the act. Of course, it did not go down well with the ruling dispensation but then an MP cannot be suspended while under suspension. The Opposition has claimed that the Government's move was an attempt to stifle debate. The Opposition pressed for a statement on Parliament security breach but the Government, in turn, accused it of intentionally disrupting proceedings. In response, the Speaker took disciplinary action, including the suspension of members. The imposition of suspensions is a mechanism to maintain order and discipline, but it also sparks debates about the balance between freedom of expression and maintaining decorum in the hallowed halls of democracy. Amidst the political drama, Parliament managed to address a few critical legislative matters. The session's adjournment after a series of high-profile events marks a significant chapter in India's parliamentary history. As the political dynamics evolves before the general elections due next year, the last session of import of this Lok Sabha will go down in the annals of history as the most dramatic, traumatic and cryptic session ever.