The party is trying to ‘hijack’ the positive thinking of those Opposition parties who are in favour of discussion and smooth functioning of Parliament

The Opposition has once again disappointed the country. After demanding a special Parliament session to discuss national issues including the Corona crisis, it has shown no interest in joining the proceedings for even a single day during the ongoing Monsoon session. It has already made it clear that the session is "washed out" from their side. The media has also reported this.

The country's "grand old party", the Congress, is becoming a "champion" of such "irresponsible politics" committed by some Opposition parties.In early May, the Leader of the Congress in the Lok Sabha, Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury,requested the President of India to convene a special session of Parliament because the MPs wanted to discuss the Corona crisis in their respective constituencies. The Congress' "new friend", Shiv Sena MP and leader Sanjay Raut, also reiterated the demand.

The Government said the entire administrative machinery was engaged in controlling the second wave of Covid-19 and a gathering of MPs in Parliament could be dangerous giventhe pandemic. The Opposition issued several statements criticising the Government's stand.

Parliament is in session for over a fortnight but the Oppositionhas not allowed it to work. When on thefirst day Prime Minister Narendra Modi invited Opposition leaders to a special meeting to inform them about the current and future steps to tackle the Corona crisis,some leaders, including from Congress, asked why the meeting was needed when Parliament was about to convene.Congress itself had originally suggested convening an all-party meeting on the Corona crisis but such statements prove how serious the Opposition was in attending the session.

Itsseriousness vanished in the first week itself when papers were snatched from a Minister in the Rajya Sabha. In the Lok Sabha, Opposition members started throwing pieces of paper at the Speaker and the media. The House Reporters were not spared the "torturous behaviour" of some Opposition parties.

The Opposition is using the so-called "Pegasus issue"as a shield for its "irresponsible behaviour".The concerned Minister has already given statements in both Houses on the Pegasus issue.If the Opposition is dissatisfied with the minister's statement, the best forum for it is the Rajya Sabha where there is a provision to seek clarification from theminister. But the Opposition's focus was to cause an uproar during the minister's statement and then snatch the paper from his hand.

Opposition behaviour raises some important questions. Was demanding an emergency Parliament session on the Corona crisis just a trick to divert the government's attention? If their intention was for a discussion, then why is the Opposition running away from it all this while? Or, isthe Opposition taking a U-turnfearing the Corona debate may "boomerang" on them since positive cases are increasing in states like Kerala and Maharashtraeven though the second wave of the Corona has abated?Or, is the Opposition afraid that if a detailed discussion is held,then its Chief Ministers will get exposed? Is it that the leaders, who are claiming Opposition's unity against the Modi Government, are afraid that this so-called unity will be shattered during specific discussions in the House? If so, it would be pertinent to mention here that the hollownessof Opposition unity is getting exposed day by day. When the Congress calls for a meeting, the Trinamool Congress' MPs go missing and when the Trinamool leaders meet other parties, the Congress keeps away.

The reality is that instead of becoming a "part of the solution", some political parties are involved in spreading "political pollution" during the pandemic period. They tried to use a "national calamity" as a "political opportunity".

The Opposition is stalling work in Parliament on the pretext of anunsubstantiated, baseless and fabricated issue of Pegasus that has no relevance to the interests of the people of the country. Earlier also, the Opposition paid the price for creating illogical ruckus without understanding the mood of the people of the country. This time too, they will meet the same fate.

The Government has repeatedly it is ready for a discussion on all essential issues including the Covid-19pandemic, farmers' issues, inflation, floods, etc. On the alleged Pegasus issue also, the Government issued a statement in Parliament without delay. But the Congress is adopting a "hit and run" policy. By labelling its "negative and obstructive approach" as the "stand" of the entire Opposition, Congress is trying to "hijack" the positive thinking of those Opposition parties who are in favour of discussion and smooth functioning in Parliament.

(The writer is Deputy Leader, Rajya Sabha & Union Minister for Minority Affairs. The views expressed are personal.)

(Courtesy: The Pioneer)

The party is trying to ‘hijack’ the positive thinking of those Opposition parties who are in favour of discussion and smooth functioning of Parliament

The Opposition has once again disappointed the country. After demanding a special Parliament session to discuss national issues including the Corona crisis, it has shown no interest in joining the proceedings for even a single day during the ongoing Monsoon session. It has already made it clear that the session is "washed out" from their side. The media has also reported this.

The country's "grand old party", the Congress, is becoming a "champion" of such "irresponsible politics" committed by some Opposition parties.In early May, the Leader of the Congress in the Lok Sabha, Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury,requested the President of India to convene a special session of Parliament because the MPs wanted to discuss the Corona crisis in their respective constituencies. The Congress' "new friend", Shiv Sena MP and leader Sanjay Raut, also reiterated the demand.

The Government said the entire administrative machinery was engaged in controlling the second wave of Covid-19 and a gathering of MPs in Parliament could be dangerous giventhe pandemic. The Opposition issued several statements criticising the Government's stand.

Parliament is in session for over a fortnight but the Oppositionhas not allowed it to work. When on thefirst day Prime Minister Narendra Modi invited Opposition leaders to a special meeting to inform them about the current and future steps to tackle the Corona crisis,some leaders, including from Congress, asked why the meeting was needed when Parliament was about to convene.Congress itself had originally suggested convening an all-party meeting on the Corona crisis but such statements prove how serious the Opposition was in attending the session.

Itsseriousness vanished in the first week itself when papers were snatched from a Minister in the Rajya Sabha. In the Lok Sabha, Opposition members started throwing pieces of paper at the Speaker and the media. The House Reporters were not spared the "torturous behaviour" of some Opposition parties.

The Opposition is using the so-called "Pegasus issue"as a shield for its "irresponsible behaviour".The concerned Minister has already given statements in both Houses on the Pegasus issue.If the Opposition is dissatisfied with the minister's statement, the best forum for it is the Rajya Sabha where there is a provision to seek clarification from theminister. But the Opposition's focus was to cause an uproar during the minister's statement and then snatch the paper from his hand.

Opposition behaviour raises some important questions. Was demanding an emergency Parliament session on the Corona crisis just a trick to divert the government's attention? If their intention was for a discussion, then why is the Opposition running away from it all this while? Or, isthe Opposition taking a U-turnfearing the Corona debate may "boomerang" on them since positive cases are increasing in states like Kerala and Maharashtraeven though the second wave of the Corona has abated?Or, is the Opposition afraid that if a detailed discussion is held,then its Chief Ministers will get exposed? Is it that the leaders, who are claiming Opposition's unity against the Modi Government, are afraid that this so-called unity will be shattered during specific discussions in the House? If so, it would be pertinent to mention here that the hollownessof Opposition unity is getting exposed day by day. When the Congress calls for a meeting, the Trinamool Congress' MPs go missing and when the Trinamool leaders meet other parties, the Congress keeps away.

The reality is that instead of becoming a "part of the solution", some political parties are involved in spreading "political pollution" during the pandemic period. They tried to use a "national calamity" as a "political opportunity".

The Opposition is stalling work in Parliament on the pretext of anunsubstantiated, baseless and fabricated issue of Pegasus that has no relevance to the interests of the people of the country. Earlier also, the Opposition paid the price for creating illogical ruckus without understanding the mood of the people of the country. This time too, they will meet the same fate.

The Government has repeatedly it is ready for a discussion on all essential issues including the Covid-19pandemic, farmers' issues, inflation, floods, etc. On the alleged Pegasus issue also, the Government issued a statement in Parliament without delay. But the Congress is adopting a "hit and run" policy. By labelling its "negative and obstructive approach" as the "stand" of the entire Opposition, Congress is trying to "hijack" the positive thinking of those Opposition parties who are in favour of discussion and smooth functioning in Parliament.

(The writer is Deputy Leader, Rajya Sabha & Union Minister for Minority Affairs. The views expressed are personal.)

(Courtesy: The Pioneer)