New Delhi [India], August 5 : Congress leader Jairam Ramesh has accused the BJP-led government of running away from debate on the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls in Bihar, saying that people elect representatives to the Parliament and the electoral process should be discussed in Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha.
Talking to ANI, Jairam Ramesh blamed the government for the deadlock in Parliament over opposition's demand for a debate on SIR in poll-bound Bihar.
"It is the responsibility of the Government to run the House. We extend our cooperation. But the responsibility for consensus doesn't fall on the Opposition, it is the responsibility of the ruling side, the government...Call the leaders of all parties and talk to them. Our demand is clear. We have given the Speaker in writing that discussion should be held and House should be run. We too want to pass the Bills...We had been saying from day 1 that we want discussion on two issues - Operation Sindoor and SIR, vote theft and election process. Why are they running away from this issue (SIR), why are they not conducting a discussion on this?," he asked.
"Election Commission is a Constitutional institution. Unfortunately, for some time now, the Election Commission has been functioning only at the behest of the PM and HM...Serious matters have come to light in Karnataka, there has been a scam of voter list. In Bihar, a large number of voter names have been deleted across all districts...My question is, people elect representatives to the Parliament. Won't they discuss the process through which they are elected? What kind of democracy is this? We call ourselves Mother of Democracy and you can't discuss electoral process in Lok Sabha!...Govt is running away from this," he said.
Jairam Ramesh said that opposition has expressed grave concern over FIR and it will be conducted in other states after Bihar.
"The Opposition, the INDIA Alliance leaders wrote a letter to the Speaker. There is an ongoing vote theft and we have expressed grave concern over the same. This has started in Bihar right now, it will then be done in West Bengal, Assam and all other states. So, this should be discussed. If elected representatives cannot discuss elections in the Lok Sabha, then what can be a bigger insult to democracy than this? We demand that this be discussed in Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha," he said.
Opposition parties have been forcing adjournment of the two Houses of Parliament over their demand for debate on SIR in Bihar.