Two former Prime Ministers — Manmohan Singh and Deve Gowda — who are Rajya Sabha members came to vote on the Constitutional Amendment Bill popularly referred to as OBC Bill, while Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Home Minister Amit Shah were ‘absconding’, Trinamool Congress said on Thursday.
At a press conference a day after the General Insurance Bill was passed by the Rajya Sabha amidst scuffle between members and the marshals deployed in the House, party leader Derek O’Brien said the Opposition had no choice but to protest vociferously.
“What option did the Opposition have in a parliamentary democracy where the government crosses all limits? Do we still sit on our seats and suck lollipops? They must remember that we represent more than 60% of the people of India. The BJP had got 37% of vote in the 2019 elections and the remaining people voted for the Opposition parties,” Mr. O’Brien said.
The entire Opposition wanted a debate on the internal security, but Mr. Modi and Mr. Shah were missing, he said. Mr. Modi has only made one appearance each in both Houses at the beginning of the session to introduce his expanded Cabinet.
“Where were the Hon’ble Prime Minister and Home Minister? Why couldn’t they find two minutes to be present in the House. On behalf of the TMC, we want to humbly acknowledge the presence and the active participation of our former Prime Ministers Manmohan Singh and Deve Gowda. Mr. Gowda also participated in the debate,” Mr. O’Brien said. He said both Mr. Modi and Mr. Shah should learn parliamentary etiquette from the former Prime Ministers.
“Why has the Prime Minister of India not answered a single question on the floor of Parliament for the last four to five years. Don’t ask us why we disrupted Parliament. It is you who disrupted Parliament with your boorish behaviour,” he added.
