PTC Web Desk: The Monsoon Session of Parliament ended on Thursday with a moment that hadn't happened before. Proceedings in the Lok Sabha opened with Vande Mataram, the National Song. It was a full house for the occasion, with Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Congress MP Rahul Gandhi both present as six stanzas of the song were played out.

Soon after, the Lok Sabha was adjourned sine die, officially bringing the session to a close. The Rajya Sabha followed suit, also being adjourned sine die with the National Song.

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This first-of-its-kind gesture in Parliament comes just days after President Droupadi Murmu gave her assent to a new law that gives legal protection to Vande Mataram. Under this law, deliberately disrupting or preventing the singing of the National Song is now a punishable offence, putting it on a par with the legal protection already given to the National Anthem.

Even before this, the government had laid down protocols for how and when the song should be sung at official events. A Union Home Ministry order dated January 28 specified that all six stanzas be sung on occasions such as the President's arrival, the unfurling of the Tricolour and addresses by governors.

A session marked by repeated disruptions

While the day ended with a symbolic and unifying moment, the session itself had been anything but smooth. The Lok Sabha was adjourned sine die after facing repeated disruptions and sharp exchanges between the treasury benches and the Opposition right through the day.

In a departure from usual practice, Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla skipped the customary valedictory address, in which he typically reviews the House's performance and productivity over the session.

Ever since the session began on July 20, proceedings were frequently stalled. Two issues dominated much of the disruption, the police action against student protesters during the NEET paper leak agitation and the controversy surrounding the alleged theft of donations meant for the Ram Mandir.

Govt offered to debate, Opposition kept up the pressure

A day earlier, on Wednesday, Union Home Minister Amit Shah had said he was open to a full debate on the issues raised and was willing to respond to each query from the Opposition. He had also asked the Speaker to consult Opposition parties and set aside time for a proper discussion on the students' issue.

Even on the final day, the Opposition did not let up, raising slogans against the government inside the House.

Rival protests outside Parliament

The divisions that had defined the session spilled out into the Parliament complex as well. Rival protests broke out between the BJP and the Opposition at Makar Dwar. The BJP targeted Rahul Gandhi and the Congress, accusing them of staying silent on the ongoing protests in Jharkhand, while Opposition parties continued to push their own set of demands.

As the curtains came down on the Monsoon Session, it closed on two contrasting notes. A rare moment of national unity through Vande Mataram and the continuing political tug-of-war that had defined much of the session.