New Delhi: The Opposition’s demand on the Special Intensive Revision of electoral rolls in Bihar held up the scheduled discussion on the Pahalgam attack and Operation Sindoor in the Lok Sabha for a couple of hours on Monday, prompting the government to accuse it of betrayal after initially agreeing to the debate.
The Congress, however, said all they wanted was “30 seconds” to speak on the SIR, adding that it is difficult for opposition leaders to get even a few moments to raise an important issue.
The ‘Special discussion on India’s strong, successful and decisive Operation Sindoor in response to terrorist attack in Pahalgam’ finally began at 2 pm instead of the noon after Parliamentary Affairs Minister Kiren Rijiju told the House that the government is open to discussion on any issue subject to rules and the Chair’s permission.
He, however, made no direct mention of the SIR and said members of the ruling alliance and the Opposition have given notices on many issues.
The Lok Sabha’s Business Advisory Committee, which includes leaders from different parties and is chaired by Speaker Om Birla, will take a final decision, Rijiju added.
Opposition members began raising the SIR issue as soon as the House met and then again protested after it reconvened at noon for the discussion on Operation Sindoor, forcing another adjournment.
Rijiju told reporters following the adjournment that a few minutes before the discussion was to start, the Opposition wanted the government to give an assurance that it would allow a debate on the SIR in Bihar after the discussion on Operation Sindoor is over.
The Opposition, he said, is running away from a discussion on Operation Sindoor after an initial agreement and is now putting preconditions.
Rijiju said Parliament runs in accordance with rules and accused the Opposition of going back on its commitment and of betrayal .
“The Opposition is looking at ways to run away from the debate on Operation Sindoor,” he claimed.
Opposition members, however, rejected the charge.
Congress MP K C Venugopal told reporters that the SIR is one of the most important issues related to democracy as 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 government can share its view. It is difficult for the Opposition to get mic even for 30 seconds,” he told reporters, insisting that it was due to the Opposition’s demand that a debate on Operation Sindoor is taking place.
RSP MP N K Premachandran, an opposition member, said all they wanted was an assurance from the government that it will consider their demand for discussion on the SIR.
