NDA says Opposition ‘running away’ from Jharkhand debate; Congress seeks Shah’s presence

NDA and Opposition MPs staged rival protests outside Parliament over police action against protesting students in Jharkhand. The NDA accused Rahul Gandhi and the Opposition of disrupting proceedings, while Congress demanded Home Minister Amit Shah’s presence to address the issue in Parliament

New Delhi: The NDA and Opposition MPs came face to face on Tuesday as both sides staged separate protests outside Makar Dwar of Parliament over various issues, ranging from the Opposition’s selective outrage pertaining to Jharkhand students stir to disruption of Parliament.

While the BJP-led NDA accused the Opposition of “stalling” the proceedings, the Opposition demanded that Union Home Minister Amit Shah be present in the House to address the issue of police action against protesting students.

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The NDA MPs carried placards and raised slogans targeting the Opposition and Lok Sabha Leader of Opposition (LoP) Rahul Gandhi, accusing them of “running away” from a discussion on the police action against students. Their protest came even as the government reiterated that Home Minister Amit Shah is prepared to make a statement in Parliament on the matter.

The BJP-led alliance MPs were seen carrying placards bearing slogans such as “Grah Mantri ki Charcha se Rahul Gandhi bhago mat (Rahul Gandhi, don’t run away from Home Minister’s reply),” alleging that the Opposition was deliberately avoiding a discussion on the issue of police action against students.

Holding banners and posters against the Opposition, the NDA MPs stated that even as the government is ready to discuss the students’ protest issue, the INDIA bloc is trying to disrupt the Parliament proceedings to avoid the discussion.

Some MPs were also seen holding banners condemning the Opposition’s “silence” over the police action against peacefully protesting students in Jharkhand and demanded a statement from Rahul Gandhi over the issue.

Meanwhile, Congress MPs staged a counter-protest, demanding that Home Minister Amit Shah come to the House and make a statement. They raised slogans including “Amit Shah Sadan mei aao (Amit Shah, come to the House),” insisting that the Home Minister should personally address Parliament on the police action against protesting students. Speaking to IANS, Congress MP Pawan Khera launched a sharp attack on the BJP and the RSS while demanding the Home Minister’s presence in Parliament.

“Home Minister Amit Shah runs away, we don’t. They call themselves a ‘Loh Purush’, but the iron has rusted. These RSS people have always been like this. They are the biggest cowards,” Khera said. “Let our government come to power, and we will give them a fitting reply. The organisation called the RSS will cease to exist,” he added. Congress MP Ujjwal Raman Singh, defending the Jharkhand government, hit out at the BJP over its criticism of the state administration.

“You are in power, yet you are unable to accomplish anything. You talk about Jharkhand, where the government is addressing the issue. Our leader Rahul Gandhi has said that students should not be suppressed and that their concerns should be heard,” Singh told IANS.

Meanwhile, BJP MP Dinesh Sharma accused Rahul Gandhi of adopting a selective approach towards issues concerning students and alleged that he had ignored the developments in Jharkhand. “He has turned a blind eye to the atrocities in Jharkhand. This selective approach will no longer work,” Sharma told IANS. BJP MP Sambit Patra also strongly criticised Rahul Gandhi and the Opposition over the police action against students in Jharkhand, questioning who was responsible for ordering the use of force against the protesters.

“The brutality against the students who were peacefully protesting in Jharkhand is condemnable. Who ordered the lathi-charge and such actions? Members of Rahul Gandhi’s party are part of the Jharkhand government as MLAs and ministers. Is Rahul Gandhi not culpable? Did all this not happen under his direction?” Patra told IANS. “If it did not happen on his orders, then Rahul Gandhi should come before the media and clarify that he will withdraw support from the Jharkhand government,” he added.

“When the government has announced that the Home Minister will deliver his statement in Parliament over the students’ protest, Rahul Gandhi has again run away. This won’t work, and Rahul Gandhi will have to answer,” Patra said.

The face-off outside Parliament came amid continued disruptions inside the House, as both the government and Opposition maintained their respective positions over the issue of police action against protesting students.