Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Wednesday (August 12) said that the government is ready for a detailed discussion on the recent crackdown on protesters near Delhi’s Jantar Mantar and will reply to all questions posed by the Opposition.
Addressing reporters at the Parliament Complex, the Union home minister urged Opposition MPs to write to Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla, seeking to start a discussion at 3 pm on Wednesday (August 12).
He said the discussion can start at 3 pm and conclude at 3 pm on Thursday (August 13) and that he will sit through the entire discussion and respond to all issues raised by the Opposition.
Conditions laid down
Shah said that he will respond to the students’ protests and also explain why the Opposition doesn’t want the discussion to happen.
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He insisted that the Opposition must first submit a written request and assurance to the Lok Sabha Speaker by 2 pm that it is ready for the discussion. “If they give a written request by 2 pm, we will initiate the discussion at 3 pm today, and I will respond at 3 pm tomorrow,” said Shah.
Shah replies to charges on attendance
The Union Home Minister asserted that he had been coming to Parliament every day since the Monsoon Session began and he sits in his Parliament office daily. “When the Opposition isn’t allowing the House to function, what is the point of going there?” said Shah.
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“Words like ‘missing’ and ‘fugitives’ are terms that have only recently begun to be heard in India’s public and parliamentary discourse. Ever since the Parliament session began, I have been coming regularly and sitting in my chamber. But the Opposition is not allowing Parliament to function in either House. So, what is the point of anyone going inside when the proceedings are not being allowed to run?” he added.
“As far as the issue of discussion is concerned, Parliamentary Affairs Minister Kiren Rijiju has made it very clear that the government is ready for a discussion on all aspects of the students’ protests related to the NEET issue. The Opposition had initially demanded that time be allotted for a discussion and that the government should agree to it. I have also made it clear from my side that I am ready to answer any questions in Parliament. But they simply do not want the discussion to take place. Now, let the people decide who is actually running away,” said Shah.
Not interested in Shah’s lecture: Rahul
Responding to Shah’s proposal, Leader of the Opposition in the Lok Sabha, Rahul Gandhi, accused the Union home minister of having “no courage to come to the House”. He said the Opposition has little interest in Shah’s “lecture” and wants to know who gave the orders to beat students and shoot at them during the July 20 protest.
“We are not interested in listening to Amit Shah’s imagination. We are not interested in Amit Shah’s lecture or discussion. We are interested in knowing who gave that order to beat our students, to shoot out students. If he gave that order, he should resign because he is culpable. If he did not give the order, he should resign because he is incompetent. For 20 days, he disappeared. He sat here but didn’t come to the House,” said Rahul.