New Delhi: The winter session of parliament started on Monday (December 1) with Prime Minister Narendra Modi accusing the opposition of using the parliament as a “warm up ground” for upcoming elections or to vent their frustrations following electoral defeats. Modi’s remarks came in his customary address at the beginning of the session, as he himself raked up the recent National Democratic Alliance (NDA)’s recent victory in the Bihar elections to accuse the opposition of being in “despair of defeat” and said that parliament should be used for “delivery, not drama”.

Opposition members on the other hand accused Modi of “trampling parliamentary decorum” while not allowing parliamentary discussions.

“This session should focus on what Parliament is thinking for the country, what Parliament wants to do for the country, what Parliament is going to do for the country. The opposition should also fulfill its responsibility, raise strong issues for discussion, and come out of the despair of defeat,” said Modi.

“The misfortune is that there are one or two parties that can't even digest defeat. I was thinking that so much time has passed since the results in Bihar, they must have calmed down a bit by now. But, from what I heard of their rhetoric yesterday, it seems that defeat has kept them troubled. I urge all political parties that in the winter session, the despair of defeat must not become a battleground and neither should it become a show of arrogance of victory. We have to fulfil our responsibilities given by the people,” he added.

Modi then accused the opposition parties of not giving opportunities to newer members of parliament or first time MPs and said that parliament is for “delivery, not drama.”

“We must give opportunities to the new generation of young Members of Parliament or those who come from smaller parties. They are very troubled because they are not getting opportunities to raise issues from their constituencies. But they are being stopped from doing so. Be it any party, we must encourage young members and first time MPs. The House should benefit from their experiences, and through this House, the nation should also gain from their fresh perspective,” he said.

“I urge that we take these issues seriously. There are many places to do drama. Those who have to do drama, they can continue to do so. But here there should not be drama but delivery. How many slogans have to be raised, there are many such areas in the country where they can be raised.  Where you have lost there also slogans were raised. Here the focus should not be on slogans but policies.”

Modi then went on to say that parliament has been used as “warm-up arena for elections or to vent frustration after defeat”.

“For some time now, our Parliament is being used either as a warm-up arena for elections or to vent frustration after defeat,” said Modi.

Modi’s remarks were met with criticism from the opposition parties. In a statement Congress president and leader of opposition in the Rajya Sabha Mallikarjun Kharge said that the session has begun with  Modi's "dramabazi delivery".

"The reality is that the government has been continuously trampling parliamentary decorum and the parliamentary system for the past 11 years, and the long list of such instances is well-known," he said.

Congress hits back, says drama is not allowing democratic discussions about issues that matter to the public

Congress MP Priyanka Gandhi Vadra said that raising issues is not “drama”.

“Election situation, SIR (Special Intensive Revision), and pollution are huge issues. Let us discuss them. What is the Parliament for? It's not drama. Speaking about issues and raising issues is not drama. Drama is not allowing democratic discussions about issues that matter to the public,” she said to reporters outside parliament.

TMC MP Sagarika Ghose said that 40 people had died during the ongoing Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of the electoral rolls in West Bengal which is not "drama."

"Irony just died a thousand deaths! A prime minister who himself practices politics of photo op, several outfit changes per day, plays politics of theatrics and histrionics is now accusing the Opposition of “dramabaazi.” 40 dead in Bengal due to SIR is not 'drama' it is the suffering of real people. What a shameful statement," Ghose said.

While the opposition members had demanded a discussion on the SIR in Lok Sabha, the house was adjourned for the day after repeated adjournments.

Amid the uproar demanding a discussion on SIR, the Manipur Goods and Services Tax (Second Amendment) Bill, 2025, was passed to replace an ordinance while union finance minister Nirmala Sitharaman also introduced the Central Excise (Amendment) Bill, 2025, which will replace the GST compensation cess, and The Health Security se National Security Cess Bill, 2025 which seeks to keep tax on sin goods like tobacco and pan masala after discontinuation of the compensation cess.

Samajwadi Party MP Akhilesh Yadav questioned the prime minister's statement and asked whether the death of booth-level officers (BLOs) during the SIR process, is also a drama.

"Everyone knows who does drama. To only use the word drama because D also stands for democracy. We want SIR to be conducted sincerely and no voter is left out. Those BLOs are losing their lives, is this drama? Don't play on words. It is the EC's duty to ensure everyone's vote is secure," he said.

The Wire is now on WhatsApp. Follow our channel for sharp analysis and opinions on the latest developments.