In an apparent jab at Rahul Gandhi, Union Minister JP Nadda accused the Congress of allowing itself to be “held hostage to a naive child,” sparking heated arguments in the Rajya Sabha on Thursday. Amidst the turmoil over the cancelation of Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s planned speech in the Lok Sabha on Wednesday, there have been numerous interruptions.
At approximately 5:00 p.m. today, PM Modi spoke before the Upper House.In his speech, Nadda denied accusations that democratic functioning was in jeopardy and accused the Opposition of delaying processes.
“You did not let the House function. I strongly condemn the allegation that democracy is in danger,” he said, before turning his criticism toward the Congress leadership and urging it to conduct its internal affairs more democratically. “You must understand this within the party as well. In a democracy, things should be done democratically… Don’t let the party become hostage to a naive child,” the Union Minister added.
Mallikarjun Kharge, the leader of the opposition in the Rajya Sabha and president of the Congress, retaliated by accusing the administration of suppressing discussion and preventing opposition views from being heard in the Lok Sabha.
He questioned why matters of national interest could not be freely discussed, pointing out that Parliament consists of both Houses. At one point, the Chair removed Kharge’s comments from the official record.Kiren Rijiju, the Union Parliamentary Affairs Minister, too voiced his opinion, urging lawmakers to adhere to the House’s customs and regulations.
“Today, we expect all MPs to follow the rules and traditions of the House. Members across parties are waiting to hear the Prime Minister’s address. If the Congress does not wish to listen, that is its choice, but others do. The Leader of the Opposition in the Lok Sabha is not following House rules, and Rahul Gandhi is not adhering to parliamentary norms. The Congress should not disrupt the House,” Rijiju said.
Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman, for her part, vehemently protested to Kharge’s “lynching” comment in the Rajya Sabha and insisted that it be removed from the proceedings.
She also brought up other violent incidents, citing the uproar surrounding a case in Kerala when a teacher’s hands were severed, and questioned what the Congress administration at the time had done about it.
Members of the Congress left the Rajya Sabha as the confrontation intensified.The Rajya Sabha altercation coincided with protests in the Lok Sabha, where the Congress has claimed that Gandhi was denied the opportunity to finish his remarks during the discussion of the Motion of Thanks to the President’s Address. Gandhi had presented the Congress MP’s attempt to read passages from the unpublished memoir of former Army chief General MM Naravane as a matter of national security, but he was prevented on Monday.Congress lawmakers have accused the administration of purposefully keeping Gandhi from bringing up what they called delicate matters pertaining to national security.
In order to decide on a coordinated approach, the party has also announced meetings with other leaders of the opposition floor.However, the government has denied allegations that debate is being restricted and insists that parliamentary procedures must be adhered to.
The Treasury and Opposition benches are becoming increasingly at odds, as evidenced by the frequent interruptions that overshadow the session’s planned legislative business in both Houses.
