NEW DELHI: With INDIA bloc parties expressing their firm resolve in seeking a statement from Home Minister Amit Shah in both Houses on the massive security lapse, stalemate continued in Parliament on Friday.
There is only a slim chance of the smooth functioning of Parliament without a statement from Shah, according to Opposition leaders. While the government is keen to pass the three new criminal bills to replace Indian Penal Code, Code of Criminal Procedure and Evidence Act, the Opposition parties also made it clear that they will participate in the discussion only if their demand is met.
Congress general secretary Jairam Ramesh said that the collective stand of the INDIA alliance is that Shah should make a statement in both Houses and take questions on the issue. “There is only a bleak chance of smooth functioning of Parliament unless the home minister makes a statement in both Houses. We want the House to function and aren’t even demanding the revocation of suspension of the MPs,” Ramesh said.
The Congress leader also said that the government was trying to brush aside the incident on the first day as a minor one and later invoked the stringent UAPA charges against the accused. “The very fact that such a stringent act has been invoked makes it incumbent upon the home minister to make a statement,” he said. Ramesh also accused Shah of contempt of Parliament by speaking to a private TV channel on the subject when the House was in session.
“Yesterday, the home minister gave a detailed interview to a television channel on the security breach. It is contempt of the House and parliamentary traditions that the minister spoke on such a pressing issue when the House is very much in session,” said Ramesh, expressing hope that Shah makes a statement on Monday.
“There are only five days left for the session to conclude and the government has allocated up to 15 hours for the discussion on new criminal bills. However, it has to meet our demand first,” he said. Meanwhile, both Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha witnessed acrimonious scenes leading to adjournments during the day. In RS, Chairman Jagdeep Dhankhar disallowed 23 notices submitted by Opposition MPs under Rule 267 seeking suspension of business to discuss the security breach.
Several Opposition MPs, including the suspended members, continued their protest in front of the Gandhi Statue in Parliament demanding action against BJP MP Pratap Simha, who allowed passes for the intruders into Lok Sabha. Congress leader Sonia Gandhi met the MPs and extended support to them.
