Opposition Cannot Decide Minister’s Reply, Says Kiren Rijiju During Lok Sabha Uproar

Parliamentary Affairs Minister Kiren Rijiju on Friday rejected the Opposition’s demand that Home Minister Amit Shah should personally respond in the Lok Sabha over the recent police action against protesting students, asserting that opposition parties cannot decide which minister will address issues in the House.

As disruptions continued during the Monsoon Session of Parliament, Rijiju said the decision on which minister responds to a matter rests with the government and the Chair. “You cannot dictate which minister will come to the House and who will respond,” he told protesting Opposition members.

Rijiju said Shah regularly attends Parliament and remains present during proceedings for extended hours. Defending the Home Minister, he remarked that Shah’s name creates fear among extremists and terrorists, drawing strong support from the Treasury benches.

The Opposition has been pressing for a statement from Shah over the police action against students protesting the alleged NEET paper leak in the national capital last month. The issue has contributed to repeated disruptions in Parliament since the session began on July 20, along with other matters raised by opposition parties.

Amid continued uproar on Friday, the Lok Sabha was adjourned until Monday. Despite the disruptions, the Zero Hour proceedings continued for nearly 16 minutes, during which the House passed the Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises Development (Amendment) Bill, 2026 without debate.

The House also witnessed the tabling of various parliamentary committee reports and official papers before proceedings were suspended. The ongoing standoff between the government and Opposition over ministerial accountability is expected to remain a key issue during the remaining days of the Monsoon Session.