Shah offers debate, Rahul says resign
Union Home Minister, Amit Shah, who has been in the Opposition’s line of fire since the crackdown on students in Delhi on July 20, made an offer for a debate in Parliament, promising a detailed statement. It was, however, rejected by Leader of Opposition (LoP) Rahul Gandhi and sought his resignation.
“Let’s start the debate from 3 pm today. I will sit in the House and will give a detailed reply at 3 pm on Thursday,” Shah said in his first statement on the Opposition protests against him. He accused the Opposition of running away from debate and stalling the Parliament. He further dared the Opposition to let the discussion take place in the Parliament on the students' issue and assured that he will give a detailed statement after the debate.
He said dialogue and discussions are the only ways to find solutions in a democracy and he has full faith in democracy and democratic institutions. The home minister said the debate should facilitate the views of the Opposition and treasury benches on the important issue of students’ protests.
Shah also wrote to Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla to consult the Opposition on holding a debate on the students’ protests over the NEET paper leak and consequent protests, saying he is ready to answer all questions in the House.
“I want to request you to kindly consult the Opposition. With everyone’s consent, allocate as much time needed for the debate. I will sit through the entire discussion and respond to all questions from the opposition during the debate,” Shah said.
Rahul turned down the proposal and asserted that the youth want to know who ordered that “protesting students be shot” at with pellet guns. He said the Opposition was not interested in listening to Shah’s imagination and lecture in Parliament. If Shah ordered that students be shot at, he is culpable, and if he did not, he is incompetent, Gandhi said. “In both the cases he should resign,” the LoP said.
When the Lok Sabha reassembled at 3 pm after two adjournments on Wednesday, the Opposition resorted to protests. Amid the turmoil, Union Minister for Parliamentary Affairs, Kiren Rijiju, announced in the House that the Government was ready to start a debate immediately on the student protest, and Shah had already written to the Speaker. He said the Opposition should not run away from the debate when the home minister was ready to answer all their questions.
Rijiju addressed a hurriedly convened Press conference after the Lok Sabha was adjourned for the day and said it is “unthinkable and incomprehensible” that the Opposition is avoiding a discussion when the Government is ready to respond.
