After three weeks of disruptions in parliamentary proceedings over his absence, Union Home Minister Amit Shah is likely to make an appearance in both Houses of Parliament next week. It is, however, still unclear whether Shah will oblige the Opposition with a statement on the July 20 brutal police crackdown at and around Jantar Mantar against student and youth agitators.
Shah, sources in the government said, could move the controversial Foreign Contribution (Regulation) Amendment (FCRA) Bill for consideration in the Lok Sabha on Monday (August 10).
Opposition demands Amit Shah’s apology
The Congress-led Opposition’s unremitting demand for Shah’s statement in Parliament on the July 20 crackdown, during which the Delhi Police and the CRPF’s Rapid Action Force viciously rained pellets, tear gas shells and batons on protesters demanding the Centre’s accountability over recurring exam paper leaks, has paralysed Parliament’s functioning for almost the entirety of the ongoing monsoon session.
Also read: Parliament logjam: Amit Shah meets Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla
Since the session began on July 20, the only legislation that has seen a discussion in both Houses of Parliament has been the Public Examinations (Prevention of Unfair Means) Bill, which Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s government had hastily introduced in a bid to douse students’ outrage over exam paper leaks. Lok Sabha’s Leader of Opposition Rahul Gandhi had used the discussion on the Public Examinations Bill to launch a direct attack at Shah; holding him directly responsible for “shooting our students”. Rahul’s scorching attack had triggered instant and raucous protests by the Treasury Benches and objections from Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla, preventing him from completing his speech, but failed to draw Shah to the Lower House despite the Home Minister’s penchant for combative rebuttals.
Subsequently, as the Opposition made it clear that it won’t allow normal functioning of Parliament till Shah makes a statement on the police excesses and apologises for them, the Home Minister evaded Parliament even when the Prevention of Insults to National Honour (Amendment) Bill and the Registration of Births and Deaths (Amendment) Bill – both piloted by his ministry – were moved for consideration in both Houses. The task of moving the two Bills was left to Shah’s deputy, minister of state Nityanand Rai.
RS Chairman’s ‘request’
On Thursday (August 6), the Opposition’s protests against Shah’s continued absence from Parliament forced Rajya Sabha Chairman CP Radhakrishnan to “request” Union Parliamentary Affairs minister Kiren Rijiju to “echo the Opposition’s sentiments” to Shah. Even the nudge from the Rajya Sabha Chairman, however, did not force Shah to face either House of Parliament on Friday, forcing adjournments of both Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha shortly after 12 noon till Monday (August 10).
Also read: Parliament adjourned amid Opposition demand for Shah’s statement on July 20 police action
On its part, the BJP has tried to brazen out the storm over Shah’s continuing refusal to own moral accountability for the actions of the Delhi Police and the RAF, which both report to the home ministry. In a bizarre defence of Shah, Rijiju told Parliament on Friday that the Home Minister “comes to Parliament in the morning every day and leaves the premises late in the evening” and that his presence in Lok Sabha or Rajya Sabha could not be compelled by the Opposition.
The saffron party’s defence of Shah, however, has only riled the Opposition further. “Can there be a more brazen show of arrogance. The Parliamentary Affairs Minister is basically telling the country that the Home Minister doesn’t feel he is accountable to Parliament and through it to the country; that he (Shah) comes to Parliament every day to sit in his office but doesn’t think it is his duty to walk 500 steps to attend Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha and explain why his police assaulted the country’s students and youth,” Congress media wing chief and newly elected Rajya Sabha MP Pawan Khera told The Federal.
‘Strong reply’ expected from Shah
Sources in the government say the Opposition can expect a “strong reply” from the Home Minister when Parliament reconvenes on Monday for the last week of the monsoon session, which will conclude on August 13. A senior BJP minister told The Federal that Shah is likely to move the FCRA Bill for discussion in Lok Sabha on Monday and will “respond to the Opposition strongly but on his own terms”.
The Congress, which issued a three-line whip on Friday directing all its MPs to be present in Lok Sabha from August 10 to August 12, is determined to lead the Opposition’s charge if and when Shah arrives in the House, demanding that the Home Minister must “first give a statement on the events of July 20 and then speak on anything else,” said a senior party MP from the Lower House.
Also read: ‘Amit Shah’s presence in Parliament is a constitutional obligation, not optional’
Whether the FCRA Bill, which is also being stridently opposed by all INDIA bloc parties and the DMK, is discussed in Lok Sabha or passed without debate amid din may depend on how Shah responds to the Opposition’s demand for a statement.
Congress reaches out to allies on FCRA Bill
MPs from at least four INDIA bloc parties that The Federal spoke to maintained that they want a detailed discussion on the FCRA Bill and for the legislation to be referred to a parliamentary committee for further scrutiny but added that the Opposition will first press for Shah’s statement on the July 20 police excesses.
The Centre realises the Opposition can’t let the FCRA Bill be passed without any discussion in Parliament as the legislation has several draconian provisions that directly impact institutions run by various religious minorities as well as civil society groups. Sources in the INDIA bloc told The Federal that the Congress has already started reaching out to allies to firm up a united strategy to oppose the FCRA Bill in Parliament. The Opposition alliance’s floor strategy for Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha on the legislation will be firmed up on Monday morning when its leaders meet in Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge’s Parliament chambers.
Sources in the government maintained that while Shah “cannot be pressured by the Opposition” into giving a statement on the events of July 20, they said the Home Minister will “respond in his own way when he replies to the discussion on the FCRA Bill in Parliament”.
“It will be a strong response and the Opposition will regret making this demand but the Opposition must also show the courage to hear what Shah says… we have seen how the Opposition disrupts Parliament when it feels it will be exposed and stages a walk out when the Prime Minister and Home Minister call out their lies. Let us see if they (Opposition) have the strength to hear his (Shah’s) reply,” a senior BJP MP said.