"Ruckus should stop, there should be discussion in Parliament: Ramdas Athawale on key bills
New Delhi, August 10
Union Minister Ramdas Athawale on Monday called for an end to disruptions in Parliament, saying that there should be discussion on key legislations, including the delimitation and women's reservation bills. He said that the bills should be passed through consensus and politics should not be played over them.
Athawale said he did not see much possibility of the delimitation and women's reservation bills being introduced in the ongoing session of Parliament, while stressing that delimitation should be carried out through consensus.
Speaking to ANI, Athawale said, "I think there's no possibility of the delimitation bill and the women's reservation bill coming in this session of Parliament. I think delimitation should happen, and this bill should be passed by consensus. Politics should not be done on this. Ruckus should stop, and there should be discussion."
He also urged both the government and opposition to allow discussions in Parliament and avoid disruptions over key legislative matters.
Earlier, after Union Minister Kiren Rijiju said that the Government was ready to discuss the students' movement, Congress MP Gaurav Gogoi on Monday claimed that the Centre has shared no official reply to the demand for Union Minister Amit Shah's statement in Parliament on police action against protesters on July 20.
Addressing reporters outside Parliament, Gogoi added that the government has also not clarified the opposition's demand for a discussion on the Ayodhya Ram Mandir donation embezzlement case.
The Congress leader said, "I have not seen what he has said, but what the information I'm getting and what we have discussed in our different meetings is specifically the Home Minister's statement on the police action and brutality against students. We have not got any specific reply on whether the Home Minister will speak on police action, police brutality against students or not; that clarification has not come."
"The government has not given any specific reply on whether they are ready to take up the debate on the corruption and mismanagement of the Ayodhya Ram Mandir Trust," he added.
Earlier today, accusing the opposition of stalling parliamentary proceedings, Union Parliamentary Affairs Minister Kiren Rijiju asserted that while the government is fully prepared for a detailed debate on student-related movements, lawmakers must refrain from disrupting the Home Minister's official response.
"The offer made by the government is very clear that it is ready to have a full and detailed discussion on students' movements and activities related to it," Rijiju said.
Emphasising the need for an uninterrupted parliamentary process, the Union Minister cautioned against disruptions during official statements. "My only point made to the Opposition is that while the discussion and a reply are being made, the Opposition should not create disturbances to prevent the statement of the Home Minister," he added. "They must listen to the reply of the Home Minister and the government. Once discussion begins, we must have a threadbare discussion."
— ANI
Reader Comments
Athawale ji is right! The women's reservation bill has been pending for decades. If both parties genuinely care about women's empowerment, why can't they sit together and work it out? The opposition should also stop bringing up every single issue under the sun and instead focus on constructive discussions. Unfortunately, we all know how the game is played - ruckus in parliament makes for better TV TRPs!
Respectfully, I have to disagree with the Minister on one point. While yes, ruckus should stop, the opposition has legitimate concerns about police action against students. You can't just tell the opposition to be quiet when they're raising questions about democratic rights and police conduct. The government should address these issues directly instead of just asking for discussions. However, I do agree that women's reservation and delimitation bills need consensus. Balance is key!
As an Indian living abroad, it pains me to see our Parliament being disrupted time and again. Our democracy is one of the strongest, but the constant chaos makes us a laughing stock internationally. I'm originally from Maharashtra, and Athawale ji has a point - discussions and consensus building should be the way forward. We need more statesmanship and less drama!
Why is nobody talking about the Rajya Sabha functioning? Even if the Lok Sabha passes the bill, the opposition will block it in the Rajya Sabha. We need to see how the government plans to manage numbers there. Also, not just about women's reservation - the delimitation bill will have massive political implications for southern states if it's pushed through without their consent. This needs careful handling, not just "consensus" talk. 🤔
N Nisha Z