New Delhi, August 3: Opposition parties will stage a protest at Parliament’s Makar Dwar on Monday, reiterating their demand for a statement from Union Home Minister Amit Shah in both Houses over the police action against demonstrators during the July 20 student protest in the national capital. The Opposition is also expected to raise the alleged Ram Mandir donation theft issue.
The protest comes amid continuing political exchanges over the alleged donation theft case. Last week, Purnea MP Pappu Yadav drew attention after imitating a priest and collecting donations while criticising the government over the issue. Sunday’s alleged attack on Yadav in New Delhi has added to the political developments surrounding the matter.
The Monsoon Session enters its eleventh day with the possibility of the Centre introducing the Foreign Contribution (Regulation) Act (FCRA) Amendment Bill, which could trigger further debate between the government and the Opposition.
Speaking to ANI, Congress MP KC Venugopal said he was not aware of any plan to introduce the proposed FCRA Amendment Bill but maintained that the Opposition would continue demanding a statement from the Home Minister on the issues it has been raising.”I don’t know whether they are introducing the FCRA Bill. I don’t have any understanding about that. Let us see. We will raise the same issue of the Home Minister’s explanation in the House on the lathi-charge and the firing on Delhi students,” Venugopal said.
BJP MP Manish Jaiswal said Parliament’s primary responsibility is to function and pass legislation in the public interest. He accused the Opposition of attempting to disrupt proceedings instead of following parliamentary procedures.”While I do not know exactly which Bill is coming up next, the important thing is that the session continues. Parliament exists to serve the people, and our hope is that work benefiting the public gets done. There are established procedures for raising issues, but the Opposition wants everything to happen according to its own wishes rather than parliamentary rules. Their sole aim is to disrupt proceedings, which is not appropriate,” Jaiswal said.
Parliament is expected to witness further confrontations as the Opposition continues to press its demands while the government seeks to advance its legislative business during the ongoing Monsoon Session.