Congress party has accused Home Minister Amit Shah of “contempt of Parliament” by speaking to TV channels on the security breach issue and not in the House when it is in session and said both Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha are unlikely to function till he makes a statement on the matter.
The opposition parties have decided to raise the issue in both Houses.
They said the first requirement for both Houses to function is a statement from the Home Minister followed by a discussion on the security breach matter. They said the Home Minister was being “arrogant” by speaking on TV channels and not inside Parliament on the serious issue.
The Congress also did not attend the meeting of floor leaders convened by Rajya Sabha Chairman Jagdeep Dhankhar.
Congress general secretary Jairam Ramesh accused the BJP government of trying to divert the attention from the real issues and wondered why the Home Minister was not willing to make a statement in the house. He also said the role played by the BJP MP from Mysuru who provided the visitor passes to the intruders.
#WATCH | On security breach incident, Congress MP Shashi Tharoor says, “(Union) Home Minister gave the statement to the media, not to the House of which he’s a member. This is supposed to be a parliamentary system and parliament is in session. The first place to which any… pic.twitter.com/cl0HkHIQDN
— ANI (@ANI) December 15, 2023
“The INDIA bloc parties are united (over the demand) that the first requirement to keep both Houses running is a statement by the home minister,” he said, indicating that the opposition would cause uproar in both Houses on Monday, demanding a statement from Shah.
“If the Home Minister can speak to TV channels at length when Parliament is in session, why does he not deem it fit and appropriate (to speak in Parliament).
“In fact, this is a contempt of Parliament. It is a contempt of Parliamentary traditions. Ministers never make such great statements on serious issues when Parliament is in session, outside Parliament. They take Parliament into confidence,” Ramesh said.
He wondered why is the home minister “simply unwilling to make a statement”.
The Congress leader noted that while the BJP is ready to make a statement on GDP growth in a quarter, “why can’t they make a statement on the most serious security breach in the last 22 years in Parliament and that too in the new building which was inaugurated a few months ago.” “All these are diversionary tactics. At some stage, the real issues of employment and jobs will have to be discussed,” Ramesh said, adding let the Home Minister speak in the Lok Sabha and the Rajya Sabha, make a statement and let the house function.
Asked about what had transpired in the meeting of the floor leaders that the chairman had called, Ramesh said, “We could not go to the meeting yesterday and today and the reason is that the demand of our Leader in the House is being repeatedly ignored. He is not allowed to speak. When he gets up to speak, the BJP members start shouting.” To a question seeking the Congress’ response to slapping of terrorism charges under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA) on those arrested for the security breach in Parliament, he said, “We know it is frustration due to unemployment and lack of jobs.” “But, right now the only issue which is agitating the INDIA parties is how did security breach of this magnitude happen in this great building which was touted as a technological marvel by the prime minister a few months ago,” Ramesh said.
