Democracy Under Siege? Opposition Alleges Centre Orchestrated Parliamentary Chaos to Silence Dissent

In a scathing indictment of the Union government, Trinamool Congress (TMC) leader Derek O'Brien has cast a dark shadow over the recently concluded Winter Session of Parliament, accusing the Centre of a calculated and "desperate" strategy to stifle democratic discourse and silence the Opposition. He unequivocally stated that the government actively sought ways to disrupt proceedings, ultimately engineering the suspension of an unprecedented 146 Opposition Members of Parliament (MPs) to avoid crucial debates on pressing national issues.

O'Brien's sharp critique paints a picture of a legislative session deliberately derailed.

According to him, the primary objective was to evade scrutiny on critical matters such as the alarming Parliament security breach, the relentless surge in prices, and the pervasive crisis of unemployment. "The government desperately found ways to disrupt the session because they didn’t want the Opposition to speak on the security breach, price rise, unemployment," O'Brien asserted, highlighting a profound disconnect between the government's agenda and the nation's concerns.

The TMC leader did not mince words, likening the government's actions to a theatrical vanishing act.

"Like a magician, the Union government made Opposition disappear from Parliament, passed 18 bills in a hurry and pretended the country doesn’t exist," he declared, emphasizing the swift passage of 18 bills with virtually no discussion. This hurried legislative process, coupled with the mass suspensions, has raised serious questions about the integrity of parliamentary procedures and the democratic process itself.

The numbers speak volumes: with 146 Opposition MPs removed from the House, the Winter Session stands as the shortest and least productive in the history of Indian Parliament.

O'Brien pointed out that while the Opposition clamored for discussions on vital topics – from the sanctity of Parliament post-security breach to the plight of Manipur, the necessity of a caste census, federalism, and economic hardships – the government consistently prioritized pushing through its legislative agenda without meaningful debate.

O'Brien himself became a casualty of this alleged strategy, being suspended for merely demanding a discussion on the grave security lapse within the very walls of Parliament.

He described the suspensions not as reactive measures, but as a "pre-planned move," designed to clear the floor for the uncontested passage of significant legislation, including the pivotal bills intended to replace the Indian Penal Code (IPC), Criminal Procedure Code (CrPC), and Indian Evidence Act.

The TMC leader's accusations resonate with a broader concern about the erosion of democratic norms.

He labelled the government's approach as "anti-democratic" and a clear attempt to marginalize dissenting voices. The core of his argument is that the government is systematically dismantling the checks and balances inherent in a parliamentary democracy, turning legislative debate into a mere formality.

For O'Brien, the recent session was not just a failure of productivity, but a concerning signpost for the future of democratic participation and accountability in India.