Lok Sabha adjourned sine die

The Lok Sabha was adjourned for an indefinite period on August 13, ending a turbulent Monsoon session marked by sustained opposition protests over police action on agitating students and alleged theft of Ram temple donations, and passage of several key bills without a debate.

Speaker Om Birla adjourned the House for an indefinite period after all six stanzas of the national song were played as the House met for the day. He did not read out the usual valedictory address in which he highlights the performance and productivity of the Lok Sabha during the session.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Home Minister Amit Shah and Defence Minister Rajnath Singh were present for the brief sitting. The opposition raised slogans against the government on the concluding day as well, continuing a pattern that forced repeated adjournments through the session despite Birla's repeated appeals for members to join debates.

The Monsoon Session, which began on July 20, has been marked by repeated disruptions in the House over the NEET paper leak issue and the alleged theft of Ram temple donations in Ayodhya. The Opposition has also sought the presence of Home Minister Amit Shah in Parliament, along with statement from Shah over alleged police excesses during the July 20 student protests over paper leaks.

On Wednesday, Shah urged Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla to consult the opposition for a debate on students' protests over the NEET paper-leak issue and said he was ready to answer all questions in the House. In a letter to Birla, he said dialogue and discussions are the only ways to find solutions in a democracy and he has full faith in democracy and democratic institutions.

Question Hour could not be completed on any sitting day because of the protests. Even so, 12 bills were passed during the session, including two already cleared by the Rajya Sabha, though debate took place on only two of them.