Rajya Sabha adjourned as opposition decries police crackdown on CJP protest at Jantar Mantar

New Delhi, July 20 — The monsoon session of Parliament barely got off the ground on Monday before the Rajya Sabha was adjourned, the chamber’s chair, C.P. Radhakrishnan, announcing a break amid a swirl of uproar.

Opposition leader Mallikarjun Kharge took to the floor, his voice tinged with frustration, and launched a blistering attack on the government’s handling of the Cockroach Janta Party (CJP) protest at Jantar Mantar. “I’m talking about the future of lakhs of students,” he said, gesturing toward the thousands of young faces that had gathered to demand accountability for alleged exam‑paper leaks and the resignation of Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan.

Police had earlier tried to disperse the crowd with a baton charge, a move the opposition termed “repressive” and “intimidating”. The Delhi Police, citing security concerns, denied permission for the CJP’s march to Parliament and slapped prohibitory orders across large parts of the capital. The scene was chaotic – chants, police whistles, and the occasional tear‑gas grenade echoing in the air.

After an initial adjournment until noon, the House was called back only to be shut down again at 12:00 p.m. and slated to reconvene at 12:30 p.m., a clear sign that disorder was still very much alive inside the upper house. Kharge’s remarks were peppered with slogans and a palpable sense of exasperation, underscoring how the protest had morphed from a campus grievance into a national political flashpoint.

Beyond the CJP issue, opposition parties are pressing for debates on a string of hot‑button topics: alleged misappropriation of donations meant for the Ram Temple in Ayodhya, the lingering ethnic violence in Manipur, farmer distress, and more. The government, meanwhile, has appealed for a “disruption‑free” Parliament, warning that repeated interruptions could force legislation to be rushed through with minimal scrutiny.

The monsoon session, scheduled to run until August 13, carries eight bills on the docket. Highlights include an amendment to the Foreign Contribution (Regulation) Act, a revamp of the higher‑education regulator, and a proposal to extend statutory protection to the national song “Vande Mataram”. Notably absent are two contentious proposals – a new higher‑education regulator and an automatic disqualification clause for ministers arrested for 30 days – which have been left out of the current agenda.

As the dust settles at Jantar Mantar and the Rajya Sabha resumes its business, all eyes remain fixed on whether the government will address the core demand: accountability for the exam‑paper scandal and a clear road map for the students whose futures hang in the balance.