Congress leader and Leader of Opposition in Lok Sabha, Rahul Gandhi, on Monday accused the government of stifling Opposition voices in the House, asserting that while Union Ministers were allowed to speak, he and other Opposition members were denied the opportunity.
The Monsoon Session of Parliament began on a stormy note as the Opposition INDIA bloc raised demands for urgent discussions on eight key issues, including the Pahalgam terror attack and the Special Intensive Revision of electoral rolls in Bihar. However, their adjournment notices were not accepted, leading to uproar in the House.
“The question is—while the Defence Minister is allowed to speak, Opposition members including me, the Leader of the Opposition, are not. This is a new approach… Convention dictates that if the government can speak, the Opposition must be allowed to respond,” Rahul Gandhi told reporters outside Parliament.
The Lok Sabha was first adjourned till 12 noon and then again till 2 PM amid continuous sloganeering by Opposition MPs demanding a statement from Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
Echoing Rahul’s sentiments, Congress MP Priyanka Gandhi Vadra said, “If the government says it is ready for discussion, then the LoP should be allowed to speak. He stood up to speak and must be heard.”
Amid the ruckus, Defence Minister Rajnath Singh reiterated that the government is open to discussion on any issue. Parliamentary Affairs Minister Kiren Rijiju added that the Business Advisory Committee (BAC) would meet at 2:30 PM to finalise the agenda for debates.
However, Rijiju criticized the Opposition’s method of protest. “The government is ready for discussion, but protesting in the Well of the House on the very first day is not appropriate,” he said.
With tensions running high, the Monsoon Session is poised for a politically charged atmosphere as both sides brace for heated debates in the coming days.
