HM Amit Shah ‘ready for Parliament discussion’ on police action against student protests: Rijiju

New Delhi: Union Home and Cooperation Minister Amit Shah is prepared to address Parliament and respond to all queries regarding the student protests and subsequent police action, Parliamentary Affairs Minister Kiren Rijiju announced on Monday. However, amid continued sloganeering by opposition MPs, the Tribunals Reforms Bill, 2026, was later passed without debate, and the House was adjourned for the day.

Rijiju urges Opposition not to walk out during Home Minister's reply

Speaking in the Lok Sabha, Rijiju urged the Opposition not to walk out when Shah responds, emphasising that the government was prepared to give a comprehensive answer on the matter.

"The Congress party and Rahul Gandhi have been demanding a statement from Amit Shah from day one. The government is ready to hold a discussion on the issue of students and give a detailed response," Rijiju said.

"I request the Congress party not to walk out during his statement. It should not be scared," he added.

Tribunals Reforms Bill passed amid Opposition sloganeering

As proceedings resumed at 2 pm, Opposition MPs trooped into the well carrying placards and raising slogans, continuing to disrupt the House. BJP MP Jagdambika Pal, who was in the Chair, noted that the government had accepted the opposition's demand and appealed to the members to restore order.

"If the Parliamentary Affairs Minister is saying that the Home Minister is ready to respond, then restore order in the House. This is the last week of the Monsoon session. Who is responsible for the washout over the last three weeks of the session? You are not participating in the debate," Pal said.

Amid the protests, Law Minister Arjun Ram Meghwal introduced the Tribunals Reforms Bill, 2026, and moved it for consideration and passage. The proposed legislation seeks to establish a commission for selecting chairpersons and members of various tribunals, aiming to enhance efficiency, independence, transparency and uniformity in appointments and qualifications.

Meghwal stated that the number of tribunals had grown over time and that the government had been working to rationalise the system since 2015.

“It is a part of the same process to usher in a modern tribunal system,” Meghwal said, adding that the jurisdiction of the tribunals would remain unchanged and the framework would promote ease of justice while facilitating global best practices.

While the Law Minister was speaking, Opposition MPs continued their intense sloganeering, and the Bill was passed by the Lok Sabha without debate amid the din. The legislation follows a Supreme Court direction on establishing a structured framework for tribunal appointments.

Following the passage of the Bill, the House was adjourned for the day. Out of the nine Bills cleared by the Lok Sabha during the session so far, only two have been debated, while seven were passed amid din without discussion.

Parliamentary pressure mounts following Vice President’s intervention

The pressure on the government to ensure the Home Minister’s attendance reached a peak when Rajya Sabha Chairman and Vice President C P Radhakrishnan intervened during Upper House proceedings. Addressing Parliamentary Affairs Minister Kiren Rijiju, Vice President Radhakrishnan nudged the treasury benches to consider the Opposition's requests and effectively echo their sentiments to the Home Minister regarding his presence in Parliament.

While Parliamentary Affairs Minister Kiren Rijiju subsequently stated that the Chair's remarks were an observation rather than a formal directive, emphasising that Shah remains within the Parliament complex daily from morning till night, the Vice President's intervention underscored the growing urgency for a direct ministerial presence on the floor.

Protests and demands over police action on student protesters

The background to this confrontation stems from the Opposition’s persistent demands for Shah to make an official statement regarding the police action against student demonstrators during the July 20 Parliament march. Opposition leaders, including Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge and MP K C Venugopal, accused the Home Minister of avoiding direct parliamentary scrutiny and questioned why he had not personally addressed the House on law and order matters under his portfolio. The government firmly rejected these accusations, arguing that collective ministerial responsibility applies and that individual ministers appear on the floor when specific business is listed under their names.

(With PTI inputs)