New Delhi, Mar 18 (PTI) Parliament belongs to the people of India and all parties must be allowed to have their say, Congress leader Gaurav Gogoi said on Tuesday and added a Parliament where only the prime minister and his ministers spoke was not a functioning Parliament.
The Congress’ deputy leader in the Lok Sabha also said that if the opposition parties were allowed to speak on the Maha Kumbh, the Lower House would not have been adjourned.
Gogoi made the remarks after the Lok Sabha was adjourned for the day amid noisy protests by opposition members seeking to ask questions on the statement of Prime Minister Narendra Modi on the Maha Kumbh.
“Today, Parliament would not have been adjourned if the opposition parties were allowed to speak on the Kumbh. But the government and the parliamentary affairs minister were adamant,” he said in a post on X.
“A Parliament where only the prime minister and his ministers speak is not a functioning Parliament. The Parliament belongs to the people of India and all parties must be allowed to have their say,” the Congress leader added.
Gogoi said it was another day of the opposition being silenced in Parliament, “silenced from speaking about our devotion to Ganga ji”.
“Silenced from speaking about the richness of Indian civilisation and culture. Silenced from remembering all those who died in the stampede during the Kumbh. Silenced from speaking about the need to provide jobs to the lakhs of young Indians who went to the Kumbh. And then Prime Minister Modi goes on Lex Fridman’s podcast and gives ‘gyaan’ on soul of democracy,” he said.
In another post, Gogoi said that for the past several years, the Congress had been seeking a discussion on the external affairs ministry in Parliament.
“Discussion on the Demand for Grants for External Affairs during the Budget Session is a suitable forum. Guess how many times the Prime Minister Modi government has discussed this ministry. The answer is 0. Why is the government scared of having a discussion on the Ministry of External Affairs?” he asked.
Commenting on a post by the China Daily on X, where a Chinese government spokesperson expressed appreciation for Modi’s recent “positive remarks on China-India relations”, Gogoi said the prime minister had performed the “biggest U-turn” on China during his podcast with Fridman but “to what end?”
“Chinese imports are killing Indian small industries and cottage industries. China still lays claim to Arunachal Pradesh and Aksai Chin. China is advancing its interests across India’s border and within our neighbourhood. Chinese exports to India are increasing. Where does one look to understand ? As it is often said, follow the money,” he said.
