New Delhi: Union Parliamentary Affairs Minister Kiren Rijiju on Friday expressed hope that the Parliament would function smoothly next week as the government and the Opposition have agreed to take up a special 16-hour discussion on Operation Sindoor in Lok Sabha from July 28.
Speaking to reporters, Rijiju said there will be a 16-hour special discussion on Operation Sindoor in Lok Sabha and there will be another 16-hour discussion in Rajya Sabha on Tuesday.
He said that the Opposition was demanding that Prime Minister Narendra Modi should give a reply in the House.
“We told them that the Business Advisory Committee (BAC) cannot decide when and where the Prime Minister shall speak. This is the prerogative of the government,” he said.
Reiterating the government’s duty to work towards ensuring smooth functioning of Parliament, Rijiju said he held discussions with Leaders of the Opposition in Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha, Rahul Gandhi and Mallikarjun Kharge, during the BAC meeting.
“The focus of our attempts has been to ensure that Parliament functions smoothly,” he said.
Referring to disruptions in Parliament since the start of Monsoon Session, he said, “At the start of Parliament, we stated on behalf of the government that we are ready for discussion on Operation Sindoor. On the first day, we tried to transact business but the Opposition started protesting and we could pass just one bill in the first week.”
“The Opposition brought placards in the House against the rules and continued protests inside and outside Parliament,” he said, adding that disobeying rules and conventions will not help in any way.
After one bill was passed, we tried to initiate discussion on the second bill but MPs from the Congress and other parties continued their protests with placards, he said.
“I want to appeal once again to Opposition parties not to disrupt parliament proceedings and respect the agreement arrived at today for smooth functioning of the House,” he said.
Raising the issue of wastage of public money due to disruptions in Parliament, Rijiju said, “People elect and send MPs to Parliament for discussion on key issues. Preparation of each answer to a Parliament question involves many resources, including time off officers. But when no discussion takes place on questions, it results in loss of people and the nation.”
Referring to the BAC meeting called by Speaker Om Birla, Rijiju said the government repeated its commitment for discussion on Operation Sindoor during the meeting.
He said the Opposition raised demands on different issues but we have said that discussions cannot be held on many issues simultaneously but the next issue to be taken up on House will be decided after the discussion on Operation Sindoor.
On the issue of High Court judge Yashwant Varma, Rijiju said: “All the political parties have agreed that the issue of removal of Justice Varma has to be a joint call. Once we have agreed that the motion will be moved in Lok Sabha and concurred in Rajya Sabha, as per the rules, there should be no doubt that the discussion and the motion, everything will begin in the Lok Sabha.”
(IANS)
