New Delhi : Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Wednesday offered the Opposition a 24-hour window for discussion in Parliament, saying he was willing to answer all their questions and would stay present in the House from 3 pm Wednesday until 3 pm Thursday. Congress leader Rahul Gandhi, however, brushed aside the offer, stating that the Opposition was not interested in what Shah had to say.
With Parliament remaining deadlocked over the Opposition’s demand for a statement from Shah on the crackdown during NEET student protests, along with a discussion on the alleged theft of Ram Temple donations, the Home Minister asked the Opposition to formally submit a letter requesting a debate, after which the government would be ready to take it up in the House.
“Write a letter and submit it. We will discuss the matter from 3 pm today, and I am ready to discuss it until 3 pm tomorrow,” Shah said, adding that he was prepared to stay in Parliament and respond to whatever questions the Opposition raised. “I am ready to answer any question,” he said, adding that it was now up to the Opposition to decide between holding a discussion or continuing the disruption.
Responding to Opposition attacks describing him as “missing,” having “escaped,” or being a “fugitive,” Shah said he had been attending Parliament regularly since the start of the Monsoon Session. He placed the blame on the Opposition for Parliament’s non-functioning, saying there was little point in merely being present in the building if proceedings kept getting disrupted.
On the demand for a discussion on the NEET protest crackdown, Shah noted that Parliamentary Affairs Minister Kiren Rijiju had already clarified the government’s willingness to discuss all aspects of the matter. He said the government had earlier agreed to the Opposition’s request for time to debate the issue and reiterated his readiness to field questions in Parliament.
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