New Delhi: Congress MP Karti Chidambaram on Sunday launched a sharp attack on the Central government over the repeated disruptions and alleged dysfunction in Parliament, accusing it of harbouring an “inferiority complex” when it comes to allowing the Opposition to speak.
Speaking to ANI, the Sivaganga MP expressed deep concern over what he described as the steady erosion of Parliament’s relevance as a deliberative institution. He said both Houses have “by and large become dysfunctional” and are failing to serve the purpose for which they were constituted.
“It’s very unfortunate and very disappointing that Parliament has, by and large, become dysfunctional and is slowly losing its relevance as well because it’s not serving the purpose it was intended to serve,” Chidambaram said.
The first leg of the Budget Session 2026 concluded on February 13 after weeks of disruptions and political deadlock. Parliament is currently in a three-week recess and is scheduled to reconvene on March 9.
Chidambaram placed primary responsibility for the impasse on the government, which holds a majority in the House. He argued that parliamentary convention allows the Opposition to express its views, while the government ultimately has the numbers to prevail in a vote. “In parliamentary parlance, it’s understood that the Opposition should have its say and the government can have its way. That’s why they are the government,” he said. “It really doesn’t matter if they allow the Opposition to say what it wants and then counter it. If it has to go to a vote, naturally the government will win.”
Responding to questions about visuals showing women members of his party near the Prime Minister’s chair, Chidambaram clarified that the Prime Minister was not present at the time. On allegations of a “diabolical plot” linked to the incident, he said he was unaware of any such conspiracy but added that if such a claim were serious, it warranted a full investigation given the Prime Minister’s security under the SPG.
On reports of heated exchanges in the Speaker’s chamber, Chidambaram said he was not present and could not confirm details. However, he reiterated that the Speaker should ensure the Opposition is allowed to speak freely.
“We have absolute liberty to say what we want to say. If something is unparliamentary, expunge it. But you cannot act like a censor board and expect us to submit a script beforehand,” he said, adding that such an approach was “unacceptable.” He warned that Parliament risks turning into “a stamping house of executive orders” if legislation continues to pass without meaningful debate.
Chidambaram also pointed to the collapse of informal communication channels between the government and the Opposition as a major factor behind the current stalemate. He said that since 2014, back-channel discussions and trust-building measures have largely disappeared.
Referring to earlier periods when the BJP was in Opposition under Lal Krishna Advani, he claimed there had been greater informal engagement across party lines. “There was a lot of back-channelling. That’s not there right now. There is hardly any interaction,” he said.
He further alleged that decision-making in the current dispensation is highly centralised. “This is a one-and-a-half-person government. Everything is kicked upstairs. Nobody seems authorised to take decisions,” he remarked.
The ongoing row comes amid controversy over Leader of Opposition Rahul Gandhi attempting to cite former Army Chief M. M. Naravane’s memoir during the Motion of Thanks to the President’s Address, triggering sharp exchanges in the House.
The Budget Session, which began on January 28 with the President’s address to a joint sitting, is scheduled to conclude on April 2 after 30 sittings spread over 65 days. (ANI)
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