Preparing for the monsoon session

The monsoon session of Parliament kicks off on July 19. This will be the first session after most parliamentarians have been vaccinated. It will be the first session since Prime Minister Narendra Modi has expanded and reshuffled his council of ministers; the new faces will now begin their process of legislative accountability. It is the first session since the second wave of the pandemic devastated lives across the country. It is the first session since the Bharatiya Janata Party lost the West Bengal election, and a strong regional party, the Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam, returned to power in Tamil Nadu. And it is happening when Opposition parties have mounted renewed efforts at unity, and the political climate has heated up in the run-up to the Uttar Pradesh assembly elections next year.

All this will have an impact on the session. While the government will be keen to push through its agenda, the Opposition will be keen to corner the government on national security (particularly regarding China), health (particularly Covid-19), the state of democracy (particularly the road map in Jammu and Kashmir and new media rules), and economy and price rise (particularly of fuel). The polarised political climate will be a challenge, and both sides will be keen to advance their agendas.

But it is crucial that the government gives space to the other side, consults the Opposition including on bills, and answers difficult questions. It is as crucial that the Opposition acknowledges that legislative majority allows the government to advance its objective, and provides inputs while holding it accountable. A robust, functional session is important for Indian democracy.