The deadlock between the government and the Opposition over the latter’s demand for a debate on the special intensive revision (SIR) exercise led to adjournment of the Lok Sabha for the day, with Parliamentary Affairs Minister Kiren Rijiju saying the Opposition can’t ‘dictate’ to the government even though it was willing to hold a discussion.
Neither House was able to conduct business after Opposition MPs raised slogans in the Upper House and later staged a walkout.
Earlier on Tuesday, leaders from Congress, TMC, DMK, AAP, SP and CPI(M) had met Rijiju, pressing for a discussion and demanding that it be held on a priority over other business.
However, the Parliamentary Affairs Minister stressed that the debate on ‘Vande Mataram’ would be taken up first. As the Rajya Sabha met at 2 pm after adjournment, he announced that the ‘Vande Mataram’ debate had already been listed in the meeting of the Business Advisory Committee, and that the debate on “electoral reforms” would follow suit.
Also Read: Have invited Opp leaders to help end logjam over SIR: Rijiju
“Vande Mataram is a matter related to our freedom struggle. Matters related to electoral reforms are also extremely important. There may be many more issues that parties would like to raise in the House. However, considering that Opposition parties have united to raise one issue, the government is ready to take up a discussion but to have it before discussion on Vande Mataram may not be appropriate,” he said.
Leader of Opposition in Rajya Sabha, Mallikarjun Kharge, also said many parties have demanded a discussion under Rule 267, and it should be prioritised over other business.
“We have demanded for discussion under Rule 267... What the Parliamentary Affairs Minister said, whatever the agenda is, it should get priority. Rule 267 says all other issues should be kept aside and first preference should be given... Otherwise, there is no reason to give Rule 267 notice...” Kharge said, adding, “Vande Mataram comes from us not from them.”
To this, Chairman CP Radhakrishnana retorted with: “Vande Mataram is for everyone”.
DMK’s Tiruchi Siva and CPI(M)’s John Brittas also demanded that the discussion on electoral reforms should take place first, with Trinamool Congress leader, Derek O’Brien, reasoning that “more than 14 opposition parties want discussion on a particular issue because people are dying because of SIR”.
As Radhakrishnana proceeded with other business, Opposition leaders started raising slogans, followed by a walk-out.
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