New Delhi, Aug 13 (IANS) As the Monsoon Session of the Parliament entered its last day on Thursday, Samajwadi Party (SP) MP, Ram Gopal Yadav, targeted the BJP-led ruling NDA, remarking that irrespective of whoever is in power “they should not be stubborn in the face of Opposition’s demands”.
Yadav’s statement came amid the Parliament deadlock between the Centre and the Opposition over a debate on the alleged police brutality against student protesters during the July 20 ‘Sansad Chalo’ march, held over exam irregularities and NEET paper leaks.
Speaking to reporters outside the Parliament House, SP MP Ram Gopal Yadav said: “Some Bills were bulldozed through the House which is against the norms of the Parliament…When someone is in power, they should not be stubborn in the face of the Opposition’s demands. The Home Minister (Amit Shah) is ready to give a statement. His statement came yesterday. He said that questions should be given to the Speaker in writing, and they will reply to them. There has never been such a practice or tradition.”
“The convention has always been that ministers give statements, and MPs from all parties who want to ask questions can seek clarifications within the time limit…it is not like a press conference. They (ruling alliance) may say that the Opposition is running away but we can’t be a part of it when Parliamentary conventions are being broken,” he stated.
A day earlier, Union Home Minister Amit Shah said that he was “ready to answer everything” regarding the debate sought by the Opposition.
However, Lok Sabha Leader of Opposition, Rahul Gandhi, while commenting on the debate offer from Home Minister Shah, said on Wednesday that the Opposition was not interested in the Home Minister’s “imagination or lectures” and added that the young generation wants to know who gave orders to “shoot” at them.
Later on Wednesday, Union Parliamentary Affairs Minister Kiren Rijiju said that if the Congress and other Opposition parties agree to attend the discussion they sought even on the last day of the Parliament’s Monsoon Session on Thursday, the “Centre is willing to extend the time”.
–IANS
cg/rad
