Monsoon Session: no business in Upper House for sixth day

The Rajya Sabha adjourned for the day on Monday (July 27, 2026) for the sixth day in the monsoon session without taking up any business. The Prevention of Insults to National Honour (Amendment) Bill, 2026, was listed for consideration and passing. But it could not be taken up as the Opposition demanded an apology from Union Home Minister Amit Shah for the police action against protesting students.

In the afternoon, when the House met at 2 p.m., Deputy Speaker Harivansh invited Minister of State for Home Nitayanand Rai to move the bill that provides the status of National Anthem for National Song. Opposition members Pramod Tiwari, John Brittas and Tiruchi Siva raised objections. While Mr. Tiwari and Mr. Brittas demanded a discussion on police atrocities, Mr. Siva said the Bill was against the Constitution.

The Deputy Chairman, however, denied the “point of order” raised by the members and Mr. Rai moved the Bill for consideration of the House amid din. Opposition members were heard shouting slogans demanding that Mr. Shah must come to the House and apologise for police action against students protesting the NEET paper leak. Mr. Harivansh adjourned the House till 3 p.m.

‘Youth are watching’

At 3 p.m. too, protests continued and the House was adjourned till 5.15 p.m.

At 5.15 p.m., the Deputy Chairman invited Parliamentary Affairs Minister Kiren Rijiju. He said the government was ready for discussions on the issue of paper leaks and requested the Congress to take up the Public Examinations (Prevention of Unfair Means) Amendment Bill, 2026, for discussion. “Such an important Bill has been brought forward. We appealed to the Congress yesterday, we have been appealing to them since this morning, but they are not agreeing,” he said, adding that the Congress claimed outside the House that no debates were allowed in Parliament. “We are requesting them to take up the discussion,” Mr. Rijiju added. “What kind of a method is this? We fold our hands and request you to speak, but you do not allow us to speak,” he said.

“Please do not do this. The youth of the country are watching. Everyone wants to hear the discussion on this Bill. If you (the Opposition) behave like this, then you will be punished. We have given assurance to the youth that we will discuss (the Bill). The Prime Minister took such a step, and you are not allowing us to discuss it. This is not right. I condemn this,” Mr. Rijiju said.

Countering this, Congress leader Mallikarjun Kharge said the Opposition did not shy away from discussion. “But before discussion, the Home Minister should come and make a statement,” he said. When Mr. Kharge was speaking, BJP members raised their voices, and soon after that the House got adjourned for the day.

Earlier during the day, the Upper House witnessed two adjournments at 11 a.m. and 12 p.m. The Opposition had moved several adjournment motions under Rule 267, and Chairman C.P. Radhakrishnan disallowed them. The Opposition members raised protests, forcing the Chairman to adjourn the House. “It has never happened in the history of India that boys were beaten… and they were gagged by pellets,” Mr. Kharge said in the morning.