Congress President and LoP in the Rajya Sabha Mallikarjun Kharge and DMK MP Kanimozhi Karunanidhi (L), Defence Minister Rajnath Singh interacts with Union Home Minister Amit Shah in the Lok Sabha
Credit: PTI Photos
New Delhi: The debate on Operation Sindoor in the Lok Sabha on Monday was preceded by drama between treasury benches and Opposition with the Opposition demanding a reference to Bihar’s SIR exercise before the discussion on Sindoor began. The Opposition claimed that despite an assurance by the parliamentary affairs minister, a reference was not allowed. Parliamentary Affairs Minister Kiren Rijiju, on the other hand, said that the Opposition went back on its promise.
The discussion which was set to begin at 12, was postponed to 2pm as the House saw two adjournments. Rijiju told reporters that just before the discussion was to begin, the Opposition suddenly started protesting, “It was decided that the debate has to happen till 10 pm; it is not right to suddenly run away from the discussion just before it, this is the Parliament, this is not the way. You are running away from the discussion on Operation Sindoor. I again say that this drama of running away from the discussion should end, these new conditions that have been brought will not work, the defense minister will first put forward the proposal, then there will be discussion,” Rijiju said.
The Rajya Sabha did not transact any business and was adjourned for the day a little after 2 PM. Zero Hour and Question Hour between 11 AM and 1 PM witnessed protests forcing two adjournments. Deputy Chairman Harivansh declined all 26 notices demanding immediate discussion on SIR, alleged discrimination against Bengali migrant workers in other states and other issues.
Sources in the Opposition said that the government promised that a reference will be made on SIR; government sources, however, said that they had assured the Opposition that once the Operation Sindoor special discussion is done, SIR will be taken up.
A Cabinet minister said that discussing the SIR exercise is beyond its mandate since it involves the Election Commission. “If we are discussing electoral reforms like EVM, we can discuss in Parliament, but how do we discuss functioning of the EC. We cannot discuss anything where the administrative functioning cannot be taken up by the relevant minister – who will reply on behalf of the EC,” the minister said, pointing at a previous precedent during the tenure of Balram Jakhar as Lok Sabha Speaker in 1986.
Describing SIR as “one of the most important issues” related to democracy, senior Congress MP KC Venugopal said that every citizen is “worried” if he can lose his voting rights on some ground
“There should be discussion on the SIR also. We wanted permission to speak for 30 seconds and then the government can share its view. It is difficult for the Opposition to get mic even for 30 seconds,” he told reporters. He said it was due to the Opposition’s demand that a debate on Operation Sindoor is taking place.