Union home minister Amit Shah on Wednesday said that the government was prepared for a detailed discussion in Parliament on the student protests at Jantar Mantar in New Delhi and the following police crackdown, provided the Opposition submitted a letter to the speaker.
In response, leader of the opposition (LoP) in the Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi said that the Opposition is not interested in Shah's “lecture”.
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Shah's condition for discussion on student protests
Speaking to reporters in the Parliament House complex, Shah said the government was willing to discuss all matters in Parliament, including the students' protests, and called on the Opposition to allow the House to function.
He said he would respond to the debate and asked the Opposition to submit a notice to the Lok Sabha Speaker by 2 pm on Wednesday seeking a discussion on the issue.
"We are ready to discuss all the issues in Parliament, including students' protests; let the House function," the home minister said.
{{/usCountry}}"We are ready to discuss all the issues in Parliament, including students' protests; let the House function," the home minister said.
{{/usCountry}}"If opposition gives it in writing to Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla by 2 pm today, we can start a discussion at 3 pm today until 3 pm tomorrow," Shah said.
Rahul Gandhi hits back, says ‘not interested’
The Lok Sabha LoP and Congress MP said the Opposition was “not interested” in Shah's “lecture” and sought answers over the police action against the protesters.
He asked who had ordered the alleged firing and lathicharge against the student protesters and demanded that the home minister be held accountable. He also alleged that Shah had been absent from Parliament and said the home minister did not have the courage to face the House.
Speaking to reporters outside the Parliament complex, Rahul Gandhi said, “The Opposition has clearly said that we are not interested in Amit Shah giving us a lecture. When I say 'we', I mean the younger generation of this country. Who shot the students? Who gave the order to beat up the students with lathis with nails? Did Amit Shah give this order to shoot our children? If he did, then he should resign.”
He added, "For the last 20 days, Amit Shah has been missing. The Home Minister of India has no courage; he cannot come to the House."
Parliament deadlock over crackdown on student protesters
The Monsoon session, which began on July 20, has been repeatedly disrupted as the Opposition protests over issues including the student protests over the NEET paper leak and allegations of theft of Ram temple donations.
Amid the ruckus, Union parliamentary affairs minister Kiren Rijiju said on Monday that the government was prepared for a full-fledged discussion in the Lok Sabha on the student protests and the police action that followed.
Rahul Gandhi said the issue was not whether Shah could deliver a speech in Parliament on "general issues".
"The question was that Home Minister Shah has to make it clear who authorised the shooting of our children in Delhi. He is the home minister; pellet guns were fired," Gandhi said, adding that Shah must clarify whether he had ordered the firing.
Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla on Wednesday appealed to Opposition members protesting in the House to allow proceedings to continue. He said it was not appropriate for them to damage the image of Parliament by staging protests and raising slogans.
With inputs from agencies