NEW DELHI: The Narendra Modi dispensation has “stalled” the opposition’s call for discussions on any issue it believes would embarrass it, Congressman Shashi Tharoor claimed on Friday, criticizing the government because she “didn’t allow” a discussion in parliament about the shares of the Adani Group Router.
However, the government insisted that the opposition should immediately allow the debate on the motion to thank the President’s speech by ending the interruptions.
“Whatever issues they want to raise, they can do it during the debate… Passing the resolution thanking the President for her address to the joint session of the two chambers is a priority,” said the Minister of State for Parliamentary Affairs, Arjun Ram Meghwal, opposite PTI Video.
Lok Sabha’s trial was adjourned until 2pm on Friday over protests by opposition members calling for a joint parliamentary committee to investigate allegations of fraud in the Adani Group’s shares.
The Thiruvananthapuram MP said Parliament is a place to discuss issues facing the nation so people could see “MPs’ concerns and what MPs are focusing on”.
“Unfortunately, however, our government does not see the value in it. So they delay (discussions). As a result, we’ve now lost two days,” he accused.
“All opposition parties want to discuss this extremely important issue (Adani Group issue) together as it affects the citizens of this country. They believe this is a matter of sufficient importance for the government to allow,” Tharoor told PTI in the Parliament House complex.
But the government does not want to discuss an issue it feels will embarrass it, he claimed.
“The government did not want China (border situation) to be discussed in the last session. Nor did she want unemployment and price increases to be discussed,” Tharoor claimed.
“I just hope that there are some points where they see the value in coming to terms with the opposition and working out an agreement where all the issues important to our public can be discussed,” he added.
Another congress leader, Shaktisinh Gohil, reminded the BJP that it also delayed parliamentary procedures when opposing its demands, saying that if “everything is fine,” the government should not hesitate to set up a joint parliamentary committee to investigate of the Adani question.
After both houses of Parliament saw disruption on Friday for the second day, Gohil told PTI outside Parliament House: “We come to discussion, not about disruption. But if the government wants to get its way… when the same BJP was in opposition The late leaders Sushma Swaraj and Arun Jaitley used to say that denying Parliament its working order is a parliamentary tactic and the only weapon with the opposition is … let there be a dialogue and the government should listen to the opposition.”
He said people suffered losses after their money invested in LIC was sent to SBI by the government “into her friend’s account”.
“As a responsible opposition, our demand is to have a discussion and form a joint parliamentary committee. If nothing has been done wrong, everything is fine and you don’t want to protect the guilty, then what’s wrong with having a panel? . You will have more members in it. It (JPC report) will make things clearer,” he said.
