The Congress and other opposition parties, including Trinamool Congress, Shiv Sena and Aam Aadmi Party, refused to join the inquiry committee constituted by Rajya Sabha Chairperson M Venkaiah Naidu to probe the alleged violence that unfolded amid the monsoon session of the parliament on 11 August.
Leader of the Opposition in Rajya Sabha Mallikarjun Kharge on Thursday, 9 September, wrote to Naidu saying that the formation of the committee seems to be “designed” to “intimidate” Members of Parliament (MPs) into silence, The Indian Express reported.
The letter stated that the committee "will not only suppress the voices of the people’s representatives but will deliberately brush aside all those that are uncomfortable to the Government."
He went on to suggest that a “better course” would be to discuss the matter at an all-party meeting ahead of the next session, The Indian Express reported.
Communist Party of India (Marxist), Communist Party of India, Rashtriya Janata Dal, and Nationalist Congress Party also refused to be a part of the panel.
As per sources, the Rajya Sabha chairperson had reportedly met Kharge earlier this week and asked him to nominate a Congress MP to the panel.
What Had Happened?
Amid the passage of the General Insurance Business (Nationalisation) Amendment Bill on 11 August, several members had vehemently voiced their protest against the government's bulldozing of bills in the parliament.
Members of the Opposition had reacted sharply to what they claimed was manhandling of their members, and issued a statement, saying that "outsiders, who were not part of Parliament security, were brought in to manhandle opposition leaders and members, including women MPs who were only protesting the government's conduct, highhandedness and muzzling of their voice."
In turn, the government said that the Opposition must apologise to the nation, as several union ministers addressed a press conference, expressing "deep concern about the disruptive behaviour of some parliamentarians".
On Thursday, Kharge wrote in his letter that the opposition parties are willing to discuss all matters of public importance, however, the Government had “not only brushed aside the Opposition parties’ demands for discussions but also rushed through crucial Bills and policies which would potentially have grave and adverse effects on India," The Indian Express reported.
(With inputs from The Indian Express.)
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