New Delhi

Parliamentary Affairs Minister Kiren Rijiju on Thursday blamed the Congress for "unfairly disrupting" House proceedings during the Monsoon Session and said it was for the first time in the country that the opposition was "running away" from debate when the government wanted discussion.

Addressing a press conference after both Houses of Parliament adjourned sine die, Rijiju said the government was not happy as elaborate discussions on key bills could not take place.

Productivity in Lok Sabha was merely 19 per cent, and in Rajya Sabha 39 per cent, he said.

"For the first time, we have seen the Opposition running away from debate in Parliament when the government wanted discussions. Congress is solely responsible for unfairly disrupting the proceedings. This is not good for democracy, especially parliamentary democracy," he said, expressing hope that there will be "some changes" in the Opposition's attitude in the next parliamentary session.

Rijiju said 12 bills were passed during the Monsoon Session, but sadly only one saw discussions in both Houses. He was referring to the Public Examination (Prevention of Unfair Means) Amendment Bill, 2026, which was passed by both Houses with voice votes.

"They did not allow the House to take up the Question Hour. Another thing I observed, especially in the Congress, was that its MPs now seem to think their job is just to raise slogans and create a ruckus while brandishing placards and banners," the minister said.

"You can engage in sloganeering anywhere on the streets. Members come to the House after being elected. They come here for debate and discussion. Yet, an atmosphere has been created where Congress MPs believe that their primary task is sloganeering," he alleged.

Rijiju said he felt bad for the newly elected MPs -- including those from the Congress -- who could not get the opportunity to participate in debates and discussions during the Monsoon Session.

"How will they learn when there are no debates or discussions? It is the Congress's fault," he said, "I hope when we meet again for the Winter Session, there will be some changes (in the Opposition's attitude) based on careful consideration."

Asked if a special Parliament session would be convened to bring bills seeking to provide 33 per cent reservation for women in Lok Sabha and state assemblies before 2029, which will require delimitation, Rijiju replied, "Don't ask about the future now. We are people who live in the present."

The Monsoon Session, which started on July 20, has seen prolonged disruptions in both Houses.

The opposition protests initially started over the NEET paper leak and the alleged embezzlement of donations at the Ram temple in Ayodhya.

The opposition later pressed for a discussion on the police action against students protesting over the NEET paper leak and demanded the presence and statements of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Home Minister Amit Shah in the House.

To break the logjam, the government on Monday offered a debate on the paper leak issue and a reply by Shah, but the Congress rejected it.

A similar attempt was made on Wednesday too, but that failed as the principal opposition party turned down the proposal again, with Leader of Opposition Rahul Gandhi asserting that the youth want to know who ordered the use of pellet guns on the protesting students.

He said the opposition was not interested in listening to Shah's "imagination and lecture" in Parliament.

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If Shah ordered that the students be shot at with pellet guns, he is culpable, and if he did not, he is incompetent, Gandhi said.

"In both cases, he should resign," the Congress leader said.