The government has announced that the upcoming winter session of Parliament will run from December 1 to December 19, 2025. The opposition, especially Jairam Ramesh of the Indian National Congress (INC), has criticised the move as an unusually late start and shortened sitting. Parliamentary Affairs Minister Rijiju responded sharply, urging the Congress not to block the functioning of the House and encouraging “sincere MPs” to participate.
Scheduled dates and opposition outcry
The government has scheduled the winter session of Parliament for December 1 to December 19, 2025, with the approval of President Droupadi Murmu.
In response, Jairam Ramesh labelled the dates as “unusually delayed and truncated”, pointing out that traditional sittings often begin in late November and extend into late December. He asked pointedly: “What is the government running away from?” and questioned whether the short session and late start signal a reduced agenda or a lack of business, according to an ANI report.
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Minister’s response and the call for participation
Kiren Rijiju, the Union Minister of Parliamentary Affairs, hit back in a post on X, asserting that the Congress must stop “creating obstacles for other sincere MPs” who wish to engage in debates. He wrote: “As if Congress leaders are interested in running the Parliament Session! But I will never get tired of repeatedly appealing to the Congress Party to participate in the Parliament debates and discussions, and also not to create obstacles for other sincere MPs. Let Parliament function.”
Rijiju insisted the scheduled session is oriented towards democratic functioning and serving the people’s aspirations, even as critics remain sceptical about its length and timing.
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By emphasising participation and engagement, the government appears to frame the shorter term as sufficient, while the opposition frames it as a sign of reluctance to debate key issues.
As December approaches, all eyes will be on how the session unfolds: whether the agenda proves substantial, how many sittings are held, and what issues rise to the fore. The debate around the truncated duration and delayed start has already set the tone, the actual outcome will test these claims.
