New Delhi [India], August 10 (ANI): Amid the Parliament deadlock, Union Parliamentary Affairs Minister Kiren Rijiju on Monday reiterated that the Government is ready to hold a debate and discussion on the students’ protests and sought to know whether the Congress has the “guts to listen” to the reply of the Union Home Minister Amit Shah.
Responding to the press conference of Congress MP Rahul Gandhi, Rijiju said, “I have very clearly stated the government is fully prepared and ready to discuss the students’ protest on NEET, and Home Minister Amit Shah is totally committed and ready to give a full reply on the floor of Parliament. Now Rahul Gandhi has been demanding a discussion and the Home Minister’s reply. We are ready. Now we will see who runs away from the discussion. The government is prepared for debate and discussion on the students’ protests. Whether Congress has the guts to listen to the reply of Amit Shah Ji or they run away, we will see now.”
“I have clearly stated on behalf of the government in the Lok Sabha that Rahul Gandhi has been demanding a response from Home Minister Amit Shah for days, insisting that a statement be made in the House. Now that the government is ready and the Home Minister is prepared to give a detailed account of all the events, Rahul Gandhi is running away. That is why I said in the House: do not run away, do not be afraid”
The Union Minister maintained that the governmet is ready to hold a discussion and urged Congress MP Rahul Gandhi to “not run away”.
“You (Rahul Gandhi) level allegations and then flee; this is not right in a democracy. You must face it. The Home Minister is ready to discuss and respond for as long as the Congress desires. I simply urge Rahul Gandhi not to run away. There is no need for excuses; demanding a reply from the Prime Minister or insisting on an apology is just theatrics. We want a straightforward discussion in the Lok Sabha, and Rahul Gandhi cannot run away from it. Demanding a discussion and then fleeing is the behaviour of a coward… As soon as the Speaker schedules it, we are ready for the discussion, whether tomorrow or the day after. The Congress party must not run away.”
Addressing a press conference in the national capital, Rahul Gandhi said that the Opposition is not interested in listening to Shah’s “opinion” and just wanted an answer on who was behind the police crackdown.
“Amit Shah does not have the courage to come to the Parliament and stand before us. This is what they have shown in the last 15 days. Neither Narendra Modi nor Amit Shah has the guts…No one is interested in his opinion; we just want to know who ordered the firing, and if he did not order it, then who in MHA ordered it? We want to understand: is there culpability or incompetence?” said Gandhi.
Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha proceedings have witnessed repeated disruptions during the Monsoon Session as opposition continues to demand a statement from Shah. (ANI)
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