New Delhi: Standoff between the government and the opposition over the demand for a debate on special intensive revision (SIR) of electoral rolls continued on Tuesday, with Parliamentary Affairs Minister Kiren Rijiju refusing to give a timeline for the debate, even though he said the government was ready to have a discussion.
Opposition parties demanded that the discussion should be held on SIR by giving it priority over other business, while the Parliamentary Affairs Minister stressed that the debate on ‘Vande Mataram’ would be taken up first.
As the government refused to give preference to the debate on SIR, opposition MPs raised slogans in the Upper House and later staged a walkout.
Pressing for a discussion on SIR, leaders from Congress, TMC, DMK, AAP, SP and CPI(M) had met Rijiju on Tuesday. They had demanded that the government announce the time for a debate on electoral reforms on the floor of the House.
As the Rajya Sabha met at 2 pm after adjournment, Rijiju said a debate on ‘Vande Mataram’ has been listed in the meeting of the Business Advisory Committee, and would be taken up before the debate on “electoral reforms”.
“From the government side, we propose a discussion on further electoral reforms, which is related to the matter opposition parties have been demanding,” he said.
“My specific appeal is when the government is ready to take up the discussion, please do not put the condition that it has to take precedence over other matters. In the first BAC meeting, the government had proposed a discussion on the 150th anniversary of the Vande Mataram, that is already listed…” he said, adding that time for other matters would be decided in the next BAC meeting.
“Vande Mataram is a matter related to our freedom struggle. Matters related to electoral reforms are also extremely important. There may be many more issues that parties would like to raise in the House. However, considering that Opposition parties have united to raise one issue, the government is ready to take up a discussion but to have it before discussion on Vande Mataram may not be appropriate,” he said.
In response, Trinamool Congress leader Derek O’Brien raised a point of order, and said, “More than 14 opposition parties want discussion on a particular issue because people are dying because of SIR”.
Leader of Opposition in Rajya Sabha Mallikarjun Kharge said many parties have demanded a discussion under Rule 267, and it should get priority over other business.
“We have demanded for discussion under Rule 267… What the Parliamentary Affairs Minister said, whatever the agenda is, it should get priority. Rule 267 says all other issues should be kept aside and first preference should be given… Otherwise, there is no reason to give Rule 267 notice…” Kharge said.
“Keeping aside all other businesses, the House should take up Rule 267 discussion.. You give us permission to take up discussion on SIR under Rule 267,” he said.
The Congress leader added, “Vande Mataram comes from us not from them”.
Chairman CP Radhakrishnana however said, “Vande Mataram is for everyone”.
DMK’s Tiruchi Siva and CPI(M)’s John Brittas also demanded that the discussion on electoral reforms should take place first.
Siva referred to the meeting with the Parliamentary Affairs Minister, and said SIR is a very serious issue.
“So many are dying, give priority to that. Any other business you list we are ready to cooperate,” he said.
Siva said the Opposition parties wanted the debate to take place on Tuesday, and considering the government’s position, they agreed that the debate can be held on Wednesday and Thursday.
Brittas said the urgency of the matter has been “underscored” by the Minister.
“In the all-party meeting on Sunday, we had proposed. Now, three days have lapsed. Our only request is that let it start at 3 pm tomorrow… Let it continue the day after tomorrow,” he said, calling it a “reasonable proposition” from the opposition.
The Chairman said the government has assured that a discussion would be held.
“Let the government decide, they will come back…” Radhakrishnan said.
As the Chairman proceeded with other business, Opposition leaders started raising slogans demanding a discussion on the SIR issue.
Opposition MPs then staged a walkout from the House.
Amid opposition’s continuing demand for a discussion on the larger issue of ‘electoral reforms’ amid the ongoing Special Intensive Revision (SIR) exercise in several states, Opposition leaders including those from Congress, TMC, CPI(M), DMK, AAP, and SP had met Rijiju, and demanded that the government give an assurance on the floor of the House on holding a debate on the issue.
Opposition leaders have said they are open about the wording of the topic of the discussion, and have suggested topics like “urgent need for further electoral reforms”, “need for further electoral reforms”, or “urgent need to further strengthen integrity and transparency of electoral process”.
