New Delhi, Jan 31 (IANS): India, as the world’s largest democracy, is expected to set the standard for effective Parliamentary functioning. However, in recent years, opposition’s continuous disruptions, protests, and walkouts have hindered the nation’s democratic processes.

The Opposition came under sharp attack for stalling the proceedings in Parliament and for not engaging in constructive debate. ‘Ignoring’ the country’s interests, opposition parties have allegedly prioritised political posturing over governance. This has not only stalled progress but also wasted taxpayer money. The concern is that the nation is paying the price for a Parliament paralysed by partisan agendas.

It is said that the cost of disruptions is high -- not only in terms of wasted taxpayer money (Rs 2.5 lakh per minute) but also in terms of the loss to democratic processes.

Here's a year-by-year review of how the disruptive tactics have undermined the productivity of India’s Parliament.

2014: Winter Session – There was a smooth functioning in the Lok Sabha, but the Rajya Sabha was plagued by disruptions. Issues like religious conversions and the arrest of a state minister by the CBI led to seven days of stalled proceedings.

While the Lok Sabha worked for 98 per cent of its scheduled time, the Rajya Sabha managed only 59 per cent productivity.

2015: Budget and Monsoon Sessions -- High productivity was seen in the Lok Sabha (123 per cent) but constant disruptions in the Rajya Sabha. Key issues such as farmer suicides and the CAG report on renewable energy financing led to parliamentary paralysis. The Monsoon Session, however, was a disaster with the Rajya Sabha clocking just 9 per cent productivity, mostly due to opposition-led disruptions over controversies like Lalit Modi and Vyapam.

2016: Budget and Winter Sessions - The Budget Session saw the Lok Sabha excel with 122 per cent productivity, while the Rajya Sabha struggled at 91 per cent. Protests over the suicide of Rohith Vemula dominated the agenda. The Winter Session was marred by intense disruptions over demonetisation, resulting in a 92-hour loss of time in the Lok Sabha, costing taxpayers Rs 144 crore.

2017: Winter and Monsoon Sessions in 2017 were no less tumultuous. The Rajya Sabha’s productivity slumped to just 56 per cent during the Winter Session, with opposition protests over triple talaq, Bhima-Koregaon violence, and Gujarat election campaigns. The Monsoon Session saw chaotic scenes, with 25 Congress MPs suspended, yet the Lok Sabha managed a high productivity of 110 per cent.

2018: Several disruptions over the Rafale deal and the construction of the Cauvery dam were seen in Parliament. The Winter Session ending in January 2019, had the lowest productivity of the year, with the Lok Sabha operating at just 46 per cent. In the Monsoon Session, protests over the National Register of Citizens led to another washout, with the Lok Sabha at 86 per cent productivity.

2019: The year began with the opposition raising allegations of EVM tampering, questioning the credibility of the electoral process. In the Winter Session, disruptions over Rahul Gandhi’s “rape in India” remark and the Citizenship Amendment Bill led to significant unrest. However, the Lok Sabha performed admirably with 116 per cent productivity. The Budget Session saw high productivity again (135 per cent), with major legislations like the abrogation of Article 370 and the Triple Talaq Bill, though protests continued over issues like the Citizenship Amendment Act.

2020: Covid-19 pandemic led to a major reduction in the number of parliamentary sittings. The Monsoon Session was drastically cut short, lasting only 10 days, and saw minimal disruptions. The Budget Session was similarly affected, with sittings limited and curtailed in response to the national emergency.

2021: Winter Session started with the farm laws repeal being passed without discussion and 12 Rajya Sabha MPs suspended. Protests over the Lakhimpur Kheri violence and the farmers' demand for an MSP legislation also dominated proceedings, leading to low productivity, with the Lok Sabha at 77 per cent and Rajya Sabha at 43 per cent.

In the Monsoon Session of 2021, Parliament was again disrupted over the Pegasus spyware scandal, farm laws, and price hikes. The session ended two days early, with just 21 per cent productivity in the Lok Sabha and 26 per cent in the Rajya Sabha—one of the least productive sessions in recent history.

2022: Winter Session was cut short due to protests over the India-China border clash in Arunachal Pradesh. The Rajya Sabha saw 94 per cent productivity, but the Lok Sabha managed only 88 per cent. The Monsoon Session was similarly disrupted, leading to one of the least productive sessions with Lok Sabha productivity at just 47 per cent and Rajya Sabha at 42 per cent.

2023: Winter Session was marked by protests over a security breach in Parliament and political manoeuvre over the Hindenburg report, with opposition MPs accusing the government of mishandling corporate governance issues. The Manipur violence continued to dominate the Monsoon Session, despite the government's willingness to discuss the issue. Despite the government offering to engage, opposition MPs insisted on a statement from the Prime Minister, further stalling proceedings.

2024: During the Winter Session, the indictment of a major Indian conglomerate by a US court in the days leading up to the session became the focal point of the Opposition's protest strategy in Parliament. The timing was no coincidence; the opposition was poised to leverage the issue to drown out meaningful parliamentary discourse.

With protests, walkouts, and sloganeering likely to take centre stage, it was clear that the Opposition's tactic was to derail the session rather than engage in constructive debates or legislative business.

Budget Session 2024: In July 2024, the INDIA bloc MPs, led by Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge, Congress Parliamentary Party chief Sonia Gandhi, and Leader of Opposition Rahul Gandhi, staged protests on the Parliament premises over what they called ‘Discriminatory Budget’. They accused the government of discriminating against opposition-ruled states, a charge that quickly became a rallying cry for the opposition. This session was again marked by protest rather than productive debate.

PRS data reveals that the number of Parliament sittings has halved compared to the 1950s and 1960s. For the past eight consecutive sessions, both Houses of Parliament have been adjourned prematurely, reflecting a concerning trend of political immaturity and disregard for democratic principles.