A tamed parliament

The pattern of post-2014 parliamentary sessions reveal a strategic design that corrodes democratic functioning. A recurring scene unfolds whenever the opposition attempts to raise uncomfortable questions. Provocations are made, tempers flare, and disorder follows. The Speaker rapidly adjourns the House, the opposition is denied the floor, slogans fill the chamber, and eventually opposition parties walk out in protest. Only then does the government calmly proceed to introduce and pass bills without dissent or scrutiny, framed in courteous exchanges among its own members or alliance partners who applaud rather than interrogate. This systematic weakening of accountability marks a disturbing erosion of democratic norms. In the past decade the ruling establishment has displayed a consistent reluctance to treat the opposition as an essential pillar of parliamentary democracy. At the same time the opposition, particularly the Congress, remains trapped in a cycle of hostility rooted in its historical battles with the RSS and its current animus toward the Prime Minister and his deputy. The result is a theatre of hostility rather than a forum of reasoned debate. Parliament exists not merely to push legislation through but to deliberate, question, refine, and ensure that decisions reflect the collective wisdom of the nation. When dissent is silenced and walkouts replace arguments, governance becomes authoritarian in character even when elections remain intact. Recent sessions illustrate how legislation has been bulldozed through amid chaos. Between twelve and fifteen bills sailed through during days dominated by protests, walkouts, and suspensions. Accusations of rushing laws without meaningful debate are well justified. The Taxation Laws Amendment Bill 2025 and the Income Tax No 2 Bill 2025 were pushed through on a voice vote despite uproar over the Bihar voter list controversy. Nineteen bills, including constitutional amendments enabling disqualification of ministers facing criminal charges, amendments to Manipur GST provisions, and Appropriation Bills, were cleared with minimal opposition involvement. The Online Gaming Bill which regulates e sports and prohibits gambling portals also passed without robust scrutiny. Major labour code reforms and the sweeping criminal procedure overhaul including Bharatiya Nagrik Suraksha Sanhita, Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, and Bharatiya Sakshya Bills moved with astonishing speed as opposition MPs walked out. The Jammu and Kashmir Reorganisation Second Amendment Bill 2023 and the Government of Union Territories Amendment Bill 2023 were adopted almost without debate, aided by the mass suspension of opposition members. These are not minor administrative measures but transformative laws that shape the rights and freedoms of citizens. Such bills deserve extended discussion, expert testimony, and cross party consensus. Instead they are treated as items on a conveyor belt. Parliament is the highest public forum in a constitutional democracy. Its legitimacy flows from voices across political divides speaking for millions of citizens who are not present inside the building. When brute majority replaces persuasive argument, it spells a bad omen that only makes democracy weaker. However, the opposition leaders who are unable to stand on a united platform, become complicit in their own marginalization. When the ruling side treats criticism as a nuisance rather than a necessity, it reduces the idea of democracy to arithmetic. What has been unfolding is not merely a partisan tussle but a crisis threatening the spirit of parliamentary governance. India deserves debate over disruptions, accountability over brute majority and consensus over coercion. The responsibility lies with both aisles to reclaim the dignity of the institution before it is too late.