NEW DELHI, August 13: Parliamentary Affairs Minister Kiren Rijiju on Thursday accused the Congress of repeatedly disrupting proceedings during the Monsoon Session of Parliament, alleging that the Opposition avoided debates even when the Government was ready to discuss issues raised by it.
Rijiju made the remarks at a press conference after both the Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha were adjourned sine die, bringing the Monsoon Session to an end amid prolonged disruptions and limited legislative business.
The Minister expressed concern over the overall productivity of Parliament, stating that the Lok Sabha recorded only 19 per cent productivity, while the Rajya Sabha recorded 39 per cent during the session.
According to Rijiju, 12 Bills were passed during the Monsoon Session, but only one of them witnessed discussion in both Houses.
He alleged that the Congress was responsible for repeatedly preventing the House from functioning normally and said the Opposition was “running away” from debate despite the Government’s willingness to hold discussions.
The Monsoon Session, which commenced on July 20, witnessed frequent disruptions over several issues, with Opposition parties initially raising demands for discussions on the NEET paper leak, alleged irregularities concerning donations at the Ram temple in Ayodhya and police action against students protesting over the examination controversy.
The Opposition subsequently demanded the presence of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Union Home Minister Amit Shah in Parliament and sought statements from them on the issues.
In an attempt to break the deadlock, the Government offered a discussion on the NEET paper leak and related matters, along with a response from Home Minister Amit Shah. However, the proposal was rejected by the Congress, according to Rijiju.
A similar effort was reportedly made again on Wednesday, but the principal Opposition party did not accept the proposal.
Leader of Opposition Rahul Gandhi maintained that the Opposition wanted answers regarding the police action against students and questioned who had authorised the use of pellet guns against protesting youth.
Gandhi also targeted Home Minister Amit Shah, arguing that if Shah had ordered such action, he would be responsible, and if he had not, then questions would arise over his administrative competence.
The session ultimately concluded without a resolution to the political impasse, with the Government and Opposition continuing to blame each other for the repeated disruptions and low productivity of Parliament.
The developments have once again highlighted concerns over the functioning of Parliament, particularly the limited time available for detailed legislative scrutiny and debate amid repeated adjournments.(KNC)
