New Delhi [India], August 13 : Union Minister for Parliamentary Affairs Kiren Rijiju on Thursday said Parliament passed 12 Bills during the Monsoon Session, but the government was not satisfied with the quality of discussions. He said that the Opposition avoided debates in the House.
Both the Lok Sabha and the Rajya Sabha were adjourned sine die today, bringing the Monsoon Session to an end amid persistent Opposition protests and disruptions.
Addressing a press conference in the national capital, Rijiju said, "...A total of 12 bills were passed, but we are not satisfied with the quality of discussion because the opposition did not allow proper debate to take place, especially in the Lok Sabha... This is the first time I have seen the opposition shying away from discussion... The opposition seeks answers from the government, and the government is bound to provide them. Yet, inside Parliament, we witnessed a scenario where the government itself was calling for a discussion, while the opposition was making excuses to avoid it. This is not healthy for the parliamentary democracy... They declared they would neither listen to the discussion nor hear the minister's reply."
"In the Lok Sabha, 11 bills were passed without discussion, while one underwent discussion... In the Rajya Sabha, the bill was fully discussed. Only the main opposition, the Congress Party, and some others walked out, while other opposition parties participated," he further said.
Rijiju accused Congress MPs of reducing their role in Parliament to sloganeering and creating a ruckus, saying they were not participating in meaningful debates and discussions.
He expressed hope that the Opposition would reflect on its conduct during the Monsoon Session and ensure meaningful debates and discussions when Parliament reconvenes for the Winter Session
"Another observation I have made is that Congress MPs seem to believe their primary role is merely to raise slogans and create a ruckus with placards and banners. That is the mindset they have adopted... They wake up early, grab a pillow, head to the Parliament complex, and engage in sloganeering and name-calling. That is all their work has been reduced to; that is the situation they have created," he said.
"As the Minister of Parliamentary Affairs, I feel genuinely sorry for the Congress MPs, especially the new ones. I am a very sensitive person, and I can understand the pain of Congress MPs. How can they learn if there are no debates or discussions? I cannot say much to the senior members, but the new MPs did not get the opportunity for meaningful debate and discussion. The fault lies with the Congress party, but I hope that when we meet again for the Winter Session, there will be a change for the better, driven by thoughtful reflection," Rijiju further said.
The session also witnessed heated counter-protests between the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and Opposition INDIA bloc MPs at the Makar Dwar steps of the Parliament complex.