New Delhi: The start of the Lok Sabha Monsoon Session on Monday was a noisy one when the opposition forbade the PM’s attempt to read out the list of the new ministers, post the recent reshuffle, entering the House.
The ruckus continued even when the speaker of the House, Om Birla pleaded the audience to maintain decorum for the customary introduction of the new ministers.
The sloganeering by the Opposition was majorly against rising fuel prices, although raising issues such as Covid-19 management, farmer’s protest, inflation, and the Pegasus spyware also haunted the purpose of the agitation.
Gaurav Gogoi, the Congress deputy leader and a member of Parliament from Assam’s Kaliabor seat, stated that the Prime Minister prioritized the Cabinet rearrangement over the difficulties that the Indian citizens were confronting at the time. “The PM believes that his decision to reshuffle the Cabinet is more important than the economic burden he has imposed on the millions of the Indian citizens,” he said, adding, “The Congress stands with the people of India.”
Earlier, speaking to the media, before the session, PM Modi remarked that the Government was prepared to answer tough questions, but also requested to be granted some time to be able to peacefully respond to them all.
Later on, he expressed his disappointment, stating that “.. it seems that Dalits, women… OBCs of the country becoming ministers does not go down well with many people sitting here in Parliament, and that is why they are not even allowing their introduction…”
Ministers like Jyotiraditya Scindia and Rajnath Singh slammed back at the Opposition for the blockade. “Healthy traditions in the House have been set by following conventions. I have been in the house for the last 24 years and have not seen such an incident where the PM could not introduce his council of ministers, even if it is one minister. It is sad, unfortunate, and unhealthy,” stated the latter, contrary to the fact when such a situation has arisen several times in the past.
Manickam Tagore, a Congress MP, clapped back that in 2013, former Prime Minister Singh was denied permission to present his ministers in the House, and as a result, the BJP cannot claim that something like this has never happened before.
PM Modi urged the Speaker to instead consider introducing the ministers together with their list submitted to the House, to which the latter responded that the list stands approved by the House.
Eventually, after three postponements due to continued disruptions, the Lok Sabha stood adjourned for the day.
