New Delhi: Union Parliamentary Affairs Minister Kiren Rijiju on Tuesday accused the Congress and other Opposition parties of avoiding a discussion on student protests and deliberately disrupting Parliament, asserting that the government was ready for a detailed debate and a response from Union Home Minister Amit Shah.
Speaking to reporters here, Rijiju said the government had made an offer to hold a "complete and detailed discussion" on everything related to the students' protest and was prepared to respond to all issues raised by the Opposition.
"Yesterday, we made an offer that the government is ready for a complete and detailed discussion over everything which happened around the students' protest. We had the reply ready and Home Minister Amit Shah was ready too. But they (the opposition) are not letting a discussion happen," Rijiju said.
He said that the Opposition continued to prevent the House from functioning despite the government's readiness to hold the discussion.
"Today, too, we were ready. But Congress ran away and sloganeered outside, not letting a discussion take place. It is clear to the people of the country that we are ready for a discussion and Congress is running away from it," he said.
The Parliamentary Affairs Minister said Congress leader Rahul Gandhi had been demanding a statement from the Home Minister on the issue, but the government was instead offering a full-fledged discussion with a detailed response.
"What did Rahul Gandhi say from the beginning? That Home Minister should issue a statement. We are saying that we will have a full-fledged discussion and reply on each and every point. When that happens, everything will be clear," Rijiju said.
He urged the Congress not to "run away" from the discussion as the Monsoon Session approaches its end.
"It is unfortunate that the Congress party is running away from discussion. Rahul Gandhi has run away. Monsoon Session is at its end, government has made an offer of detailed discussion on the students' protest. Congress party should not run away," he said.
Rijiju also responded to the police action against protesting students and job aspirants in Jharkhand, where demonstrations have been held over irregularities in recruitment examinations.
"In Jharkhand, Congress and JMM are alliance partners, so Rahul Gandhi ji should answer for that. I cannot answer for it because the government in Jharkhand is of Congress and JMM," he said.
The Minister also dismissed the Opposition's "chanda chori" allegations, saying the government's focus was on facilitating discussion on the students' protest.
"Issue is about the discussion on the students' protest," Rijiju said.
Earlier in the day, Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla appealed to members to allow the House to function and resume normal proceedings. He said the government had agreed to a discussion on student issues and that the Home Minister was ready to give a reply.
Birla also stressed the importance of Question Hour and urged both the Treasury and Opposition benches to cooperate.
"The people of the country also want to see the House function," Birla said, adding that important Bills needed to be debated through healthy discussion and dialogue.
The Speaker said the government's agreement to a discussion on the students' demands had removed the primary hurdle raised by the Opposition.
"Regarding the issue of students that you were demanding, the Minister of Parliamentary Affairs clearly stated in the BAC meeting yesterday that the Home Minister is ready to give a reply on this. Let the House function," Birla said.
He also urged MPs not to bring placards and banners into the House, calling it inconsistent with parliamentary decorum.
Meanwhile, the political confrontation over student protests has continued amid demonstrations in Jharkhand. ABVP members held a protest march from the Old Vidhan Sabha to the New Vidhan Sabha in Ranchi, while student groups and aspirants have been demanding action over alleged irregularities in JPSC and JSSC examinations.
The Opposition has also raised allegations concerning the handling of donations at the Ram temple in Ayodhya, with MPs staging protests in the Parliament complex over the issue and the police action against protesting students.
The deadlock has repeatedly disrupted proceedings in both Houses, with the government maintaining that it is ready for a detailed discussion while the Opposition continues to press for answers on the issues raised by it.
This report was published from a wire feed. Apart from the headline, the EdexLive Desk has not edited the copy.
