New Delhi: Senior Congress leader Pawan Khera and several newly-elected representatives officially took their oaths as members of the Rajya Sabha on the inaugural day of the Monsoon Session of Parliament. Rajya Sabha Chairman C. P. Radhakrishnan administered the oath of office to the new members in the Upper House. Representing the state of Karnataka, Khera entered the parliament alongside veteran leader Mallikarjun Kharge, who secured his re-election, and Mansoor Ali Khan. The trio had been elected unopposed from Karnataka in June 2026, alongside the Bharatiya Janata Party’s M Nagaraj.
The swearing-in ceremony highlighted a diverse political presence across various states. From the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party, Dr. Mukeshbhai J. Rathwa of Gujarat and Mahesh Kewat of Madhya Pradesh officially assumed their parliamentary duties. Representation from the Northeast was marked by James Pangsang Kongkal Sangma of the National People’s Party, who took his oath to represent Meghalaya. Furthermore, Prakash Chik Baraik of the BJP was sworn in as a member representing West Bengal on the opening day of the session, with senior officials of the Rajya Sabha Secretariat and other dignitaries in attendance.
While the Upper House proceeded with its official inductions, the Lok Sabha faced immediate disruptions, leading to an adjournment until 12 noon on Monday shortly after assembling. Opposition members launched continuous sloganeering to demand urgent discussions on the national NEET examination controversy and an alleged embezzlement case involving donations to the Shri Ram Janmabhoomi Teerth Kshetra Trust in Ayodhya.
The proceedings in the Lower House had commenced solemnly, with Speaker Om Birla making obituary references to former Members of Parliament including Nadendla Bhaskara Rao, Omwati Devi, Sudhangshu Seal, Major General Bhuwan Chandra Khanduri, KP Dhanapalan, Pyare Lal Sankhwar, and His Highness Sheikh Hamad bin Khalifa Al-Thani, the Father Amir of the State of Qatar. Despite repeated appeals from Speaker Birla for members to remain seated and cooperate to allow the House to function smoothly, the intense protests persisted, prompting the swift adjournment. Ahead of the session, Congress leaders had explicitly stated their intentions to press the government heavily on both the NEET-UG 2026 irregularities and the Ayodhya trust allegations.
