Chaos erupted in Parliament on Monday during the ongoing Budget Session as both Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha were adjourned within minutes of commencing proceedings. The disruption was sparked by a heated row in the Rajya Sabha over the issue of minority reservations, with opposition and ruling party members clashing over remarks concerning potential constitutional changes.

As the Rajya Sabha began its session, BJP MPs raised loud objections, demanding Leader of Opposition Mallikarjun Kharge clarify the Congress party’s position on reservations for Muslims. The uproar was triggered by a recent remark allegedly made by a senior Congress leader regarding constitutional amendments to extend reservation benefits to the Muslim community.

BJP MP Kiren Rijiju highlighted the issue, stating, “A senior Congress leader holding a constitutional post has made a statement that they (Congress) are going to change the Constitution of India to provide reservation to the Muslim community. We cannot take this statement lightly.”

Backing Rijiju, Leader of the House JP Nadda reiterated that the Constitution clearly mentions that reservation cannot be granted on the basis of religion. The statement added fuel to the fire, further intensifying the protests.

As tensions rose, the Rajya Sabha was adjourned until 2 pm. Meanwhile, the Lok Sabha was adjourned till 12 noon due to similar disruptions.

Amid the uproar, important legislative business remains pending. In the Lok Sabha, Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman is scheduled to move The Finance Bill, 2025 for consideration and passing. In the Rajya Sabha, she will also seek the passage of The Banking Laws (Amendment) Bill, 2024.

The Parliament is expected to reconvene later in the day, with the government aiming to push forward with legislative agendas amid the political turbulence.

Maharashtra CM Devendra Fadnavis has come out strongly against comedian Kunal Kamra over his recent joke targeting Deputy Chief Minister Eknath Shinde, stating the remarks were disrespectful and demanding a public apology.

The controversy erupted following a parody performance by stand-up comic Kunal Kamra, in which he took a dig at Eknath Shinde using a spoof of the 1997 Bollywood song ‘Bholi Si Surat’. Kamra referred to Shinde as a “gaddar” (traitor), alluding to the 2022 rebellion that led to the fall of Uddhav Thackeray’s government and a split in the Shiv Sena.

The incident sparked outrage among Shiv Sena workers, who vandalised Mumbai’s Habitat studio—where Kamra’s show was filmed. Visuals from the site showed extensive damage, with chairs being flung and studio equipment destroyed.

Chief Minister Fadnavis condemned the comic’s remarks while clarifying that he isn’t against comedy as a form of expression. “Such low-level comedy and disrespecting the Deputy Chief Minister is not right,” he stated. Addressing Kamra’s ‘gaddar’ comment, he said, “Maharashtra has shown in the 2024 elections who the real traitor is. The people have chosen the rightful heir to Bal Thackeray’s legacy.”

Fadnavis further emphasised that freedom of speech does not equate to unbounded liberty. “The Constitution gives us freedom, but there are limits. You cannot encroach on someone else’s rights,” he said, urging Kamra to apologise.

Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar also weighed in, urging responsible speech. “Differences of opinion are natural, but statements should not provoke situations that require police intervention,” he cautioned.

Following the attack, the Habitat studio announced a temporary shutdown, expressing concern for its staff and property. In a statement, it said, “Artists are solely responsible for their views. We’ve never interfered with content, yet we face consequences each time.”

The studio also invited stakeholders and the artistic community to deliberate on how to continue supporting free expression while ensuring safety.

Political reactions have been divided. Sena (UBT) leaders Aaditya Thackeray and Priyanka Chaturvedi criticised the vandalism, calling it an act of intolerance. “Only an insecure coward would react to a song,” said Aaditya, while Chaturvedi argued that if someone was offended, legal routes should be followed.

State minister Pratap Sarnaik, who filed an FIR against Kamra, condemned the remarks but distanced himself from the vandalism. However, he alleged that the studio was “illegal”. Meanwhile, Sena leader Milind Deora defended Shinde, calling him a “self-made leader” and accused critics of exhibiting “classist arrogance.”

In a first, Bihar’s prominent Islamic institution Imarat-e-Shariah, along with six other Muslim organisations, boycotted Chief Minister Nitish Kumar’s state-hosted Iftaar over his government’s backing of the controversial Waqf Bill. The symbolic move, announced ahead of the Sunday event, reflects a growing unease within sections of the Muslim community over the bill.

Established in 1921 by Maulana Abul Mohasin Mohammed Sajjad, the Imarat-e-Shariah holds significant influence in the religious and social spheres of the Muslim community in Bihar. Its decision to publicly distance itself from the Iftaar is being seen as a rare and notable expression of dissent.

Despite the boycott call, some Muslim leaders — including a few associated with the Imarat — chose to attend the Iftaar. The ruling Janata Dal (United) downplayed the protest. “We are happy that several Muslim leaders attended our Iftaar. The Imarat-e-Shariah’s announcement is uncalled for,” said JD(U) chief spokesperson and MLC Neeraj Kumar.

The issue also drew responses from other political quarters. Congress and Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) leaders refrained from escalating the controversy, urging that religious observances like Iftaar should not be politicised. “Politics and festivities should not be mixed,” said Congress Legislature Party leader Shakil Ahmad Khan, while party spokesperson Prem Chandra Mishra noted that attendance at such events is a personal choice.

Former MP and leader of the All India Pasmanda Muslim Mahaz, Ali Anwar Ansari, echoed a similar sentiment, distancing the event from political motives and urging individuals not to base their decision solely on the boycott call.

However, the All India Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen (AIMIM) adopted a more confrontational stance. AIMIM’s Bihar spokesperson Adil Hasan Azad criticised the NDA government for ignoring inputs from opposition and Muslim groups on the Waqf Bill. He called on all opposition parties to abstain from official Iftaar events in protest.

The controversy comes amid heightened scrutiny of the Waqf Bill, which several minority bodies believe centralises excessive control over religious endowments and weakens community representation.