In the Rajya Sabha, Mallikarjun Kharge questioned the Deputy Chairman regarding the conduct of the House, asking whether he or Amit Shah was running it. A dispute arose over the deployment of CISF, with the opposition alleging obstruction of raising public interest issues, which the government denied.
Mallikarjun Kharge: During the monsoon session of Parliament on Tuesday (August 5th), Leader of the Opposition in the Rajya Sabha, Mallikarjun Kharge, bly criticized the central government. He raised a question regarding the conduct of the House that further fueled a heated debate — 'Who is running the House? Deputy Chairman Harivansh Narayan Singh, or Home Minister Amit Shah?' This jibe reignited the activities of the House.
Kharge's Sharp Reaction to the Deployment of CISF
During this session in the Rajya Sabha, the opposition raised questions about Operation Sindoor and the Special Intensive Review (SIR) in Bihar. Amidst these issues, Kharge took a b stance against the deployment of CISF in the House. He stated that the presence of CISF personnel in Parliament was uncomfortable for the opposition: 'Our Parliament staff are capable. They can run the House themselves. But you are bringing in the military and police. It feels like you want to seize power.' This statement created a tense atmosphere in the House.
Anti-Chairman Statement and Strong Reaction from the Ruling Party
Kharge's comment drew a b reaction from the ruling party. He directly attacked the Chairman, questioning whether elected MPs were being interfered with by the government. Responding to this dispute, Parliamentary Affairs Minister Kiren Rijiju clarified that the security personnel deployed in the Rajya Sabha were only marshals, and neither CISF nor any military force was involved.
He said: 'The Leader of the Opposition spoke of the deployment of the military and police in the House, but that is incorrect. Only marshals come to the House and monitor the atmosphere.' Rijiju stated that it was important to provide this information so as to make it clear that the Parliament is operating smoothly and the allegations are baseless.
Are Opposition MPs Being Prevented from Raising Issues?
Kharge alleged that opposition MPs were being prevented from raising issues of public interest. He claimed that pressure was being exerted to suppress anti-government voices and push forward passed bills. This allegation further intensified the debate in the House.
He stated: 'Public interest issues are not being allowed to be raised here. If there is no discussion in Parliament, how long will democracy survive?'
Deputy Chairman's Response: Allegations Baseless
Deputy Chairman Harivansh Narayan Singh bly refuted the allegations made by Kharge. He stated that the proceedings of the House were being conducted strictly in accordance with the rules and that Parliament was operating independently. He said that the allegations were false and that no external interference in the conduct of the House would be accepted.
Political Temperature Rises Before Winter Session
Such allegations and responses have heated up the political temperature as preparations for the winter session now begin. The opposition will make its role in Parliament more interactive regarding these allegations, while the government is preparing to complete its proceedings with stability and transparency. Experts say that questions raised about the independence and operation of Parliament are part of the democratic process, but public allegations and clashes of accusations raise the question of whether constitutional decorum is being maintained even in political discourse.
