Rajya Sabha proceedings were suspended for about 30 minutes on Friday morning (August 7, 2026) as Opposition members continued to protest inside the House. They demanded the presence of Home Minister Amit Shah to explain the police action against students who had抗议ed over alleged leaks in the NEET exam paper.
Opposition MPs, led by the Congress, shouted slogans demanding Shah’s appearance in the House. This was met with counter-arguments from Treasury benches. After the chaos, Chairman C.P. Radhakrishnan adjourned the proceedings until 12 p.m.
Later, Mallikarjun Kharge, leader of the Opposition and Congress president, criticized the Home Minister’s absence since the monsoon session began on July 20. He accused the government of ignoring the Chairman’s comments and disrespecting the House.
On Thursday (August 6, 2026), Mr. Radhakrishnan had asked Parliamentary Affairs Minister Kiren Rijiju to convey the Opposition’s concerns to Shah and consider their request for his presence.
However, Rijiju responded that there was no direct order from the Chair and claimed Kharge was misleading the House. He added that Shah attends Parliament daily and it is unjust to protest against him repeatedly. Rijiju also stated that ministers attend proceedings based on their Ministry’s schedule and that the Opposition has no authority to decide which minister should attend or when.
Amid heavy slogan-shouting, Lok Sabha passed a bill related to the Micro, Small, and Medium Enterprises (MSME) sector. The session was then adjourned until Monday (August 10, 2026).