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‘Point of desperation’: Kangana Ranaut's jibe at Opposition as SIR debate demand disrupts Parliament
BJP MP Kangana Ranaut's remarks came after the Opposition's demand for a debate on the SIR prompted the adjournment of Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha
Actor-politician Kangana Ranaut has slammed the opposition parties for the halt in Parliament proceedings in the ongoing winter session after they demanded a discussion on the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls.
The BJP MP accused them of deliberately creating obstruction amid “growing desperation” owing to consecutive electoral setbacks.
"The more they (the Opposition) lose, the more frustrated they become. The Congress and the rest of the parties have reached a point of desperation," she said on Monday, adding that important business scheduled for the day could not be taken up due to disruptions.
She was speaking with the reporters outside Parliament after the House proceedings were repeatedly disrupted.
Their conduct was damaging the Opposition's credibility in front of the public, the Mandi (Himachal Pradesh) MP was quoted as saying by Livemint.
The winter session of Parliament began on Monday, December 1, and will continue until December 19. Before the proceedings began, Prime Minister Narendra Modi addressed the media and called for a smooth, “drama-free” session.
“The Opposition should do its part and raise important issues and step aside from the disappointment of failure. Some parties cannot even handle that, their defeat has made them unsettled,” PM Modi said as he referred to the importance of parliamentary business in his opening remarks outside Parliament before the start of the session. Parliament is for delivery, not drama, he said.
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As the Opposition demanded a debate on poll reforms, parliamentary affairs minister Kiren Rijiju told the Rajya Sabha, “Nobody is undermining any matter. What I am saying is that it (proposal for a debate) is under consideration of the government. You (Opposition) have to give certain space. If you insist that it has to be taken up today, it becomes difficult.”
The Opposition has been demanding a debate on the SIR in the Parliament, On the second day of the Winter Session, the Lok Sabha was adjourned till 2 pm amid protests by the Opposition MPs over the Special Intensive Revision of the electoral roll. Speaker Om Birla summoned opposition floor leaders and ministers for a meeting to resolve the disruptions and restore order in the House.
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Lok Sabha MP Priyanka Gandhi said the government is not ready to speak up on any issue, despite the ongoing irregularities in voter lists and the worsening Delhi pollution.
She said, "We have been demanding a discussion on so many issues, SIR, air pollution and others, since the last session. But they (govt) are not ready to discuss any issue. Is this how the Parliament should run? Parliament is the temple of democracy; all voices should be heard, of different voices and different thought processes, there should be discussion and then decisions should be made. But they (govt) are not ready to discuss any issue."
On SIR, she said, "You are changing the voter lists every other day and cutting the names of lakhs of voters. There is ongoing vote chori (vote theft). "
(with inputs from agencies)
