Monsoon Session Kicks Off: Pawan Khera and Fresh Faces Sworn into Rajya Sabha While Lok Sabha Faces Protest‑Driven Adjournment

Delhi – The Monsoon Session of Parliament opened with a flurry of activity in the Upper House. Rajya Sabha Chairman C. P. Radhakrishnan presided over the oath‑taking ceremony, where senior Congress stalwart Pawan Khera joined a roster of fresh faces freshly elected from across the country.

Khera, who represents Karnataka, was sworn in alongside veteran leader Mallikarjun Kharge – who was re‑elected – and Mansoor Ali Khan, all of whom secured their seats unopposed in June 2026. The BJP’s M. Nagaraj also entered the hall unchallenged, rounding out Karnataka’s new delegation.

The ceremony was a colourful mosaic of regional representation. From the BJP camp, Dr. Mukeshbhai J. Rathwa of Gujarat and Mahesh Kewat of Madhya Pradesh rose for their oaths. The Northeast was represented by James Pangsang Kongkal Sangma of the National People’s Party, hailing from Meghalaya. West Bengal’s newcomer, Prakash Chik Baraik of the BJP, also took the pledge, under the watchful eyes of senior Rajya Sabha officials and other dignitaries.

While the Upper House settled into its routine, the Lower House faced a very different drama. Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla began the session with customary obituary references, paying tribute to former MPs such as Nadendla Bhaskara Rao, Omwati Devi, and Major General Bhuwan Chandra Khanduri, AVSM (Retd.), among others. The solemn moment, however, was quickly eclipsed by a chorus of slogans from opposition members.

Opposition MPs, agitated over the ongoing NEET‑UG 2026 paper‑leak controversy and allegations of misappropriation of donations to the Shri Ram Janmabhoomi Teerth Kshetra Trust, demanded immediate discussion. Their chants grew louder, prompting Speaker Birla to repeatedly appeal for order: “Please remain seated. Cooperate in running the House,” he urged. Yet the protest persisted, and by midday the Speaker had no choice but to adjourn the House until 12 noon.

The protests mirror earlier statements from Congress leaders, who vowed to press the government on both the NEET scandal and the Ram Mandir donation issue. As the Rajya Sabha moves ahead with its agenda, the Lok Sabha’s interruption underscores the heightened political tension surrounding these flashpoints.

With the Monsoon Session now in full swing, all eyes will be on how Parliament navigates these contentious debates, and whether the newly sworn‑in members, like Pawan Khera, will play a decisive role in shaping the discourse.