Parliament at a standstill, protests on streets: The Monsoon session story

NEW DELHI: For 25 days, Parliament’s Monsoon Session played out on two different stages.Inside the Houses, proceedings were repeatedly disrupted, adjournments were frequent and Question Hour had barely any time remaining. Outside, political activity rarely stopped. Students marched, opposition leaders protested, ministers traded charges, and the Parliament complex itself became a stage for demonstrations and symbolic political performances.Held from July 20 to August 13, the session produced an unusual contrast: legislation moved forward, but much of the political confrontation surrounding it played out beyond the floor of the two Houses.The numbers underline that contrast. Lok Sabha functioned for approximately 19% of its scheduled time, while Rajya Sabha functioned for around 39%. Question Hour was particularly badly hit, with less than 1% of its scheduled time utilised.