New Delhi [India], August 12 : Senior Congress leader Jairam Ramesh on Tuesday argued that it was the "obstinacy" of the Narendra Modi government that was responsible for repeated adjournments in both houses of the Parliament.
"Opposition parties have been demanding a discussion and the obstinacy of the Modi Govt has led to both Houses being adjourned and walkout by the Opposition," Ramesh, Congress general secretary incharge of communications, posted on X.
Holding the stubbornness of the centre responsible for the "walkouts by opposition," Ramesh said that the Modi government has constantly refused to hold discussions on the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls in Bihar ahead of the upcoming assembly elections.
Ramesh claimed that the SIR exercise, which was carried out by the Election Commission merely five months before the Bihar assembly elections, will lead to "massive disenfranchisement of voters" belonging to the marginalised communities.
"The Modi government has repeatedly refused even a discussion on the special intensive revision (SIR) of electoral rolls in Bihar that will lead to massive disenfranchisement of voters belonging to weaker sections of society. The SIR was taken up less than five months before assembly elections are to be held," the Rajya Sabha MP said.
Ramesh was reacting to Congress chief and Leader of Opposition (LoP) Rajya Sabha Mallikarjun Kharge's address in the Rajya Sabha this afternoon, where the latter raised the issue of much-objectioned SIR drive in Bihar.
The chairperson of the upper house expunged his remarks after an appeal from JP Nadda, leader of the House in Rajya Sabha.
The opposition parties have been demanding a discussion on the Bihar voter list revision while raising objections to its implications for the common voters.
Owing to these demands, the Parliament has witnessed constant adjournments, with the government blaming the opposition MPs for causing disruption to the proceedings. However, the opposition claims otherwise, holding the government responsible for not allowing debates on matters of public importance, such as the SIR drive.
On Monday, the INDIA bloc and its leaders came down heavily on the ECI amid allegations of "vote theft" in the previous assembly and general elections.
The opposition MPs were detained by the Delhi police this morning for protesting the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls in poll-bound Bihar, following allegations of "vote theft," after they were denied permission to march to the EC office.
The allegations levelled by Congress leader and LoP Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi have sparked massive political controversy across the country, with the ruling side alleging that it was an attempt to create "anarchy" and further charging them of "working" against the constitution.
Meanwhile, the Election Commission has been asking Gandhi to sign an oath under its rules to substantiate his claims or issue an apology for the allegations levelled by him against the constitutional body.
However, the opposition leaders are charging the EC of "being one" with the government while accusing the ruling BJP of being a "dictator."