Kiren Rijiju says Opposition is ‘running away’ from debate

Parliamentary Affairs Minister Kiren Rijiju has expressed frustration at the continuous disturbance in Parliament and accused the Opposition of “running away” from debate even though the government has said it is ready for a full discussion.

Rijiju said it was difficult to understand why the Opposition was supposedly avoiding a debate in a parliamentary democracy when the government was repeatedly insisting that it was prepared to discuss the issues raised by Opposition parties.

“I am really frustrated that the Opposition is running away from debates in Parliament,” Rijiju told CNN. He said it was “unthinkable and incomprehensible” for an Opposition to avoid discussion while the government was ready to hold a full-fledged debate and respond to questions.

But Rijiju said Parliament can’t function properly without discussion and debate. The government cannot explain its position or answer allegations if the Opposition does not allow the House to function, he said.

Parliament Is Meant for Debate and Discussion.

Rijiju took a strong swipe at the Congress, saying that placards, raising slogans and disrupting proceedings should not replace debate and discussion inside Parliament.

He claimed that slogans were raised, placards were up and accusations were exchanged during the current session. Rijiju said members of Parliament should remember that the House is for discussion and debate on important national issues.

“How can Parliament function if there is no discussion?” he asked, arguing that both the government and the Opposition must be involved in parliamentary debates in order for the democratic process to work properly.

His remarks came as the Monsoon Session continued to witness repeated disruptions over the student protests, the NEET-UG paper leak controversy and allegations related to police action against protesters.

Why did Amit Shah write to Speaker Om Birla?

Rijiju was also asked why Union Home Minister Amit Shah wrote to Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla about a possible discussion just a day before the Monsoon Session was set to end.Rijiju said Shah wrote the letter because the Opposition was continuing to disrupt Parliament and was not responding to repeated calls for discussion, he said.

In his letter to Speaker Om Birla, Shah said the government was ready to discuss the student protests and asked the Speaker to consult with the Opposition on the timing of the debate.He also said the Speaker could allocate as much time for the discussion as he thought appropriate.

Shah referred to Rijiju’s earlier statement at a Business Advisory Committee meeting, where the Parliamentary Affairs Minister had said the government was ready for a discussion on the student agitation and the NEET-UG paper leak issue.Rijiju said he had been making this appeal since the beginning of the session.

“Amit Shah is writing today only because they are not listening,” he said, adding that he had already notified the Business Advisory Committee and Parliament that he would make it clear that the government was ready for a full discussion about the NEET paper leak controversy.

Amit Shah says Government is ready for discussion

Amit Shah said in his letter that the government was willing to talk about student protests and the police action that followed, but that the discussion would happen only if the Opposition let Parliament function.

Shah said he was ready to answer questions raised by Opposition members inside the House. But he claimed the Opposition was not interested in allowing the debate to take place.He suggested that the Opposition submit a letter to the Speaker by 2 pm so that the discussion could begin at 3 pm on Wednesday.

Shah said that the Prime Minister Narendra Modi-led NDA government is ready for discussion and that the Opposition should allow the House to function.He said the government was ready to start the debate at 3 pm.

Amit Shah responds to ‘Missing’ and ‘Fugitive’ Remarks

Amit Shah also responded to the Opposition's criticism for his purported absence from Lok Sabha.

Opposition leaders had used words such as “missing” and “fugitive” and questioned his absence from the House. Shah vehemently denied these accusations and said that such language had recently become part of India's public and parliamentary discourse.

Shah said he had been coming to Parliament regularly since the session started and sitting in his chamber. But he argued that there was little point in entering the House when proceedings were repeatedly disrupted and Parliament was not being allowed to function.

He claimed the government was prepared to answer questions and have a discussion if normal proceedings were allowed.

Why is the opposition refusing to talk about this?

The Opposition, however, has taken a different position.

While Opposition parties have repeatedly criticised Amit Shah for not attending Parliament and demanding answers on the alleged police action against student protesters, Congress leader Rahul Gandhi said the Opposition was not interested in hearing what he described as Shah’s “lecture”.

Rahul Gandhi said the Opposition wanted answers regarding the police action during the student protests rather than a general statement or lecture from the Home Minister.Gandhi also spoke to reporters outside the Parliament complex, asking who ordered the alleged firing and lathicharge against the students.

He asked who was responsible for the alleged use of force and demanded accountability from the Home Minister. Gandhi also alleged that Amit Shah had not been in Parliament and wondered whether he was willing to face the House.

The Congress leader said the younger generation of the country wanted answers about the action taken against the protesters.He said if Amit Shah had given any order related to the alleged firing or use of force against students, then he should be held accountable.

Jantar Mantar Student Protest Sparks Political Row.

The political confrontation intensified after the Sansad Chalo march organised by the Cockroach Janta Party on July 20.

Police used force against the students involved in the protest and reports came out and allegations. The incident quickly became a major political issue with Opposition parties demanding an explanation from the government and the Home Minister.

The protests were connected to wider issues of the NEET-UG paper leak scandal and other student-related issues.

Since then the Opposition has continued to demand answers about the alleged police violence and has sought Amit Shah's presence in Parliament to respond to the allegations.The issue has led to repeated disruption during the Monsoon Session and Parliament has been unable to function normally over the last few days.

Government vs. Opposition: Debate Over a Debate.

The latest row has now turned into a dispute over whether the government and Opposition are genuinely willing to hold a discussion.

The government, led by Amit Shah and Kiren Rijiju, has said it is ready for a full debate on the NEET paper leak, student protests and the police action. Rijiju accuses the Opposition of not engaging in talks but rather of protesting the proceedings.

The Opposition, on the other hand, wants answers for the allegations of force used by the government and has questioned Amit Shah’s handling of the matter.

However, with the Monsoon session seeing repeated disruptions, the heated exchanges between the government and the Opposition indicate that Parliament is still deadlocked. The biggest question now is whether both sides will agree on the terms of a discussion and allow Parliament to discuss the student protests, the NEET dispute and the allegations of police action.