Parliament in a Tug-of-War: Vande Mataram, Electoral Reforms & SIR vs Opposition Protests

The logjam in Parliament over the Opposition’s demand for a discussion on the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls eased slightly on Tuesday, with Parliamentary Affairs Minister Kiren Rijiju announcing that the Lok Sabha will hold a full-day debate on the 150th anniversary of the National Song ‘Vande Mataram’ on Monday, followed by a discussion on electoral reforms on Tuesday. However, the Opposition continued its protests inside and outside Parliament demanding a standalone debate on the SIR exercise underway in 12 states and Union Territories.

Rijiju said the decision was taken at an all-party meeting and the Business Advisory Committee (BAC) chaired by Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla. “It has been decided to hold discussion in Lok Sabha on the 150th Anniversary of National Song ‘Vande Mataram’ from 12 pm on Monday, 8th December, and discussion on Election Reforms from 12 pm on Tuesday, 9th December,” he posted on X. Addressing the media later, he said the all-party meeting was “very fruitful”, adding, “Everybody has agreed to the discussion. My special appeal to all members, especially the opposition parties, is to cooperate fully.”

Rijiju said once the Lok Sabha concludes both debates, the government will propose to take them up in the Rajya Sabha. “In any case, a discussion can be initiated in either House. Both Houses are complementary to each other,” he said.

Congress chief whip K. Suresh said after the BAC meeting that the Opposition’s demand for discussing the SIR issue had been “clubbed under electoral reforms”. He said the House will debate Vande Mataram on Monday, and electoral reforms on Tuesday and Wednesday, with 10 hours allotted for each debate. Prime Minister Narendra Modi will initiate the discussion on 150 years of Vande Mataram, he added.

Amid the developments, Congress MP Manickam Tagore claimed credit for the Opposition, saying the INDIA bloc’s unity had compelled the government to agree to a discussion on electoral reforms. “Arrogance finally bows to the unity of 240 & 100 MPs,” he posted on X. Tagore criticised the government for failing to allow a debate earlier, saying that one full Monsoon Session and two days of the current Winter Session had been “washed away”.

Opposition protests intensify over SIR

Despite the government’s readiness to hold a broader debate on electoral reforms, it refused a separate discussion on the SIR, with Rijiju maintaining it was an administrative matter for the Election Commission. The Opposition, however, insisted that the issue involved citizens’ right to vote and required an immediate assurance on the floor of the House. Outside Parliament, Leader of the Opposition in the Rajya Sabha Mallikarjun Kharge, along with Congress leaders Sonia Gandhi, Rahul Gandhi, and other Opposition MPs, protested near the Makar Dwar, asserting, “We will continue to protest to save democracy and against injustice.” Congress and other Opposition MPs held placards reading “Stop SIR – Stop Vote Chori.”

Congress MP Manickam Tagore said the Opposition wanted a debate because “the right to vote is at stake.” He alleged that “62 lakh voters have been removed in Bihar” and that the ongoing SIR exercise had raised concerns, including reports of Block Level Officers (BLOs) dying by suicide. “This is a critical issue. The government should not run away from it,” he said. Congress MP Digvijaya Singh attacked the SIR process, comparing it to the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA). He said earlier revisions required no citizen to fill forms or furnish proof of citizenship, alleging that the current exercise “is not SIR, this is CAA.”

Rajya Sabha adjourned amid uproar

In the Rajya Sabha, protests over the SIR issue led to repeated disruptions, forcing newly appointed Chairperson CP Radhakrishnan to adjourn the House till 2 pm. Kharge objected that notices under Rule 267 were not being read out. Several MPs, including AAP’s Sanjay Singh and DMK’s Tiruchi Siva, submitted notices seeking suspension of business to discuss the SIR.

Opposition members continued sloganeering inside the House even as the government reiterated its readiness to discuss electoral reforms but not immediately on the Opposition’s demanded timeline. Some scheduled business, including the tabling of Standing Committee on Finance reports, remained pending due to the uproar.

BJP MP Aparajita Sarangi criticised the Opposition’s protests, saying the Prime Minister had “shown them a mirror” by calling the disruptions “drama”. She warned that if the INDIA bloc persisted with “baseless issues”, they would face electoral consequences similar to the Bihar Assembly results. On Tuesday, the government also planned to move the Central Excise (Amendment) Bill, 2025, in the Lok Sabha to raise excise duties and cess on tobacco products. Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman was scheduled to move the bill. With both Houses witnessing adjournments and confrontations, the second day of the Winter Session reflected continuing tensions even as the government and Opposition edged closer to a compromise on the broader debate on electoral reforms.