Parliament logjam: Congress asks govt to allow both houses to function

PTI, Dec 11, 2024, 12:35 PM IST

New Delhi: Amid continued disruptions in Parliament, the Congress on Wednesday asked the government to allow both the houses to function and not run away from a discussion on the Adani issue.

“Dear Modi Government, On behalf of the people of India, we humbly request you to not further sell our country, and allow the Parliament to run – don’t run away from discussion. Enough is enough!,” AICC general secretary, organisation, K C Venugopal said in a post on X.

Parliament proceedings were washed out in the first week of the winter session starting November 25 due to protests by opposition members demanding discussion on issues like the indictment of industrialist Gautam Adani in a US court and Sambhal violence.

Since last week, the ruling BJP MPs have been raising the issue of alleged nexus between Soros and the Congress posing a threat to national security.

Congress general secretary, communications, Jairam Ramesh said his colleague Gaurav Gogoi has written to the Lok Sabha Speaker to ensure that Parliament functions and hoped that proceedings in both houses would resume normally.

“My colleague Gaurav Gogoi, Deputy Leader of Congress in the Lok Sabha, has written to the Speaker reiterating the INC’s commitment to ensure Parliament functions smoothly. He has suggested a way forward to resume proceedings. But does the Modi Govt want both Houses to function,” he asked.

Ramesh also recalled the words of Vice President Sarvepally Radhakrishnan and hoped the present chairman of the Rajya Sabha follows his words.

“May 16th 1952. It was the very first day of the Rajya Sabha. The Vice President of India and the Chairman of the Rajya Sabha, Dr. Sarvepalli Radhakrishnan, told the MPs: ‘I belong to no party and that means I belong to every party in the House’. That is the essence of cool impartiality.

“It was also said of Dr. Radhakrishnan that he ‘did not hesitate when the need arose to rebuke even the Prime Minister or expunge his remarks when they transgressed propriety…’. But those were different times!,” the Congress leader also said.

The Rajya Sabha was adjourned for the day on Wednesday as opposition and treasury benches traded charges over the impeachment notice against the House Chairman and Vice President Jagdeep Dhankhar.

Opposition parties on Tuesday gave a notice to move a motion to impeach Dhankhar over his alleged partisan role as the Chairperson of the Upper House.