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New Delhi, Dec 12 (IANS) Congress' Rajya Sabha member, Syed Naseer Hussain who has been suspended along with 11 other parliamentarians, has criticised the Central government, saying it does not want to give any opportunity to the Opposition to take part in discussions in the House.
Underlining that the House cannot function one-sided in a democratic set-up, Hussain, during an interaction with IANS, said "if that's what the government had to do, it could have called a group meeting on the Zoom app".
Here are some of the excerpts of the interview.
Q: Why did the Congress members stage a walkout during discussion on all bills and issues in the both Houses?
A: We had raised several issues including that of the three agriculture laws but got suspended in turn. The Central government has suspended 12 parliamentarians of the Opposition camp. The government will have to withdraw the suspension if it wishes to conduct the Winter Session... and allow the Opposition MPs to present their views during discussion on the bills in the House.
Q: The Parliament has, however, said that the MPs were suspended as per the rules. Also, the Central government has repealed the farm laws. The agitation has also ended and the farmers have decided to leave the protest sites. Considering all, what's the stand-off from your side?
A: Well, if they are talking about the laws, then why no action was taken by the House against the way women MPs were misbehaved with, besides the ruckus that took place in the House over the farm laws? As far as the question of the current session is concerned, no action should be taken. This is against the rules. The House cannot function by bringing marshals into the picture.
There was attempt to privatise the insurance sector. A discussion should have been held on this. Instead of that, the marshals were called in, and the question is why? Why did they misbehave with the women parliamentarians? We want to raise all these questions, and in fact, are raising them.
The entire Opposition is on the same page over the issue of the suspension of 12 MPs. Interestingly, every single suspended MP was issuing notice to the House to raise some issues.
India follows democracy. And bills are passed through the debate and discussion route... the Opposition should also be allowed to put forward its views. The ruling dispensation cannot run the House one-sided.
What role the Opposition is left with today? It the job is only to raise up hands, and if the government is not keen to make it a part of the debates and discussions in the House, a Zoom call could have been arranged... was there any need for the in-House proceedings? Why so much of expenditure is being done on the travelling and accommodation of the MPs? This a loss to the general public.
The Opposition has been raising a lot of issues pertaining to the country. It includes civilian killings in Nagaland, inflation, compensation to the Covid-hit families, employment, compensation to the farmers, among others.
Q: You have maintained that the Opposition should be allowed to take part in the debates but the Congress MPs, in fact, walked out of both the Houses...
A: We want cancellation of the suspension of 12 MPs. A fresh start should be made towards discussion on all bills, and the Opposition should also be allowed to part in the deliberations. It is the responsibility of the ruling side to ensure the Parliament functions.
--IANS
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