Monsoon Session off to a stormy start amid Opposition protests

Lok Sabha proceedings were disrupted on the first day of the Monsoon Session of Parliament on Monday (July 20, 2026) as Opposition parties raised various issues, primarily the alleged NEET paper leak and Ram temple donation theft.

The disruption over the NEET issue came amid attempts by protesters, led by Cockroach Janta Party (CJP), to break barricades to march to Parliament, demanding the resignation of Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan over the alleged paper leak and CBSE exam irregularities.

The House was adjourned six times since it met in the morning, and was later adjourned for the day at 3 p.m. The only business transacted was the introduction of a Bill by Union Law Minister Arjun Ram Meghwal to replace an Ordinance which increased the number of Supreme Court judges from 34 to 38.

The changed political alignments following the recent Assembly polls were also visible during the proceedings.

As soon as the Lok Sabha assembled, Opposition MPs raised slogans, with Congress, Samajwadi Party and Trinamool Congress members protesting over alleged NEET paper leaks and the donation embezzlement at Ram Temple in Ayodhya. However, the TMC MPs who trooped into the Well of the House did not include the 20 rebel MPs who now claim to be a part of the National Citizenship Party of India (NCPI).

DMK-Cong. split evident

Also, the Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK), which parted ways with the Congress after the latter broke off their alliance, allying with the newly elected TVK government in Tamil Nadu, also entered the Well, but its members raised slogans over the Karnataka government’s proposal to build a dam at Mekedatu across the Cauvery river rather than the issues flagged by the Congress.

The split between the Congress and the DMK appeared clear inside the Lok Sabha, although DMK MP T. R. Baalu continued to occupy his earlier seat next to Congress MP K. C. Venugopal, with Speaker Om Birla yet to approve the party’s request for separate seating.

The DMK from the INDIA bloc was evident since the morning, as it skipped the customary strategy meeting of Opposition parties convened by Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge at his Parliament office.

Sources told The Hindu that DMK supremo M. K. Stalin, during a Zoom meeting, made it clear that the party’s Lok Sabha members shouldn’t associate themselves with issues raised by the Congress on the floor of the House.

Repeated adjournments

Mr. Birla, who began the proceedings with obituary references to six former MPs, first adjourned the House till noon as Opposition members raised slogans during the Question Hour. He objected to two members raising slogans during the references, saying it was not a good precedent.

Parliamentary Affairs Minister Kiren Rijiju said the House could not function if disruptions continued.

Subsequently, the House was repeatedly adjourned before being adjourned for the day at 3 p.m.

Earlier, at 2 p.m., BJP MP Jagdambika Pal, who was officiating as the Speaker, said there was adequate quorum to conduct business, but some Opposition MPs alleged they were being prevented from entering the House.