- 12 minutes ago
On this Special Report, the focus is on the stormy start to the Winter Session of Parliament. Prime Minister Narendra Modi accused the opposition of 'drama' and stalling proceedings due to electoral setbacks. Countering this, Wayanad MP Priyanka Gandhi Vadra stated, 'Speaking about issues, raising issues is not drama. Drama is not allowing discussion.' The opposition, represented by Congress MP Manikam Tagore and TMC MP Sushmita Dev, demanded a discussion on the 'Special Intensive Revision' (SIR) of electoral rolls, alleging the deletion of legitimate voters in Bihar. BJP MP Aparajita Sarangi defended the government, suggesting a debate on 'Vande Mataram' instead.
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NewsTranscript
00:00Hello everyone, you're watching NewsTrack with me, Maria Shaquille.
00:04Today was day one of the winter session.
00:06It's a short session, but the one that is loaded with expectation and political heat.
00:12Just 15 sittings at a time when the government hopes to push key legislative business through before the year ends.
00:20But if recent trends are any guide, the real story might not be inside the bills, but inside the bickering.
00:27This morning, the Prime Minister set the tone, accusing the opposition of turning electoral setbacks into parliamentary roadblocks.
00:36He pointed to a pattern.
00:38Every time elections are lost, from Haryana to Maharashtra to Delhi, Parliament, he said, suffers the aftershocks.
00:48Rahul Gandhi's sister and Wynad MP Priyanka Gandhi responded strongly to the Prime Minister's remarks
00:55When asked about his accusation that the opposition was disrupting Parliament,
01:00she said that issues such as SIR and air pollution directly affect the public and must be discussed.
01:07She also emphasised that speaking up and raising concerns in Parliament is not drama.
01:12If you look at the last few sessions, there have been disruptions which have dominated over debate and discussion.
01:21The lockjam has often replaced legislation.
01:24So as MPs return to the House, the question is,
01:28will this short winter session thaw into some real work,
01:33or freeze again in the familiar chill of political confrontation?
01:38First up, let's listen in to what the Prime Minister said
01:42and all the political reactions that came in earlier today.
01:46When we get ora, we get on the mains of our society,
01:53the flag of
02:08कि
02:27इत लोगों है कि अपनी बात भागेंगा कि यह सदन भूर कुछ यह सादन को
02:35foreign
02:42foreign
02:47foreign
02:52foreign
02:57foreign
03:02I suggest that urgent issues, like what you said, pollution, other issues, SIR, it is
03:27a huge issue for democracy.
03:30What is going on?
03:31Whether it's the election situation or the SIR, these are huge issues.
03:36Let's discuss them.
03:37What is parliament for?
03:38Let's discuss them.
03:39Let them have a discussion.
03:40It's not drama.
03:42Speaking about issues, raising issues is not drama.
03:45Drama is not allowing discussion.
03:48Drama is not having a democratic discussion about issues that matter to the public.
03:52We have spoken about pollution.
03:53Why are we not raising it?
03:54Why are we not allowed to?
03:55Today I have asked for zero on it.
03:57Why are we not allowed to discuss these things?
03:59Drama is not going to be a drama.
04:01But you can see it.
04:02It's not drama.
04:03It's not drama.
04:04It's drama.
04:05Drama, democracy.
04:06It's drama.
04:07It's drama.
04:08It's drama.
04:09It's drama.
04:10It's drama.
04:11It's drama.
04:12It's drama.
04:13It's drama.
04:14It's drama.
04:16It's fantasy.
04:17It's drama.
04:18I'm Überras.
04:19It's drama.
04:20It's drama.
04:21It's drama.
04:22It's drama.
04:23It's drama.
04:24It's drama.
04:25It's drama.
04:26It's drama.
04:28It's drama.
04:33It's ugly.
04:34Let money for this party.
04:36Letmen.
04:37Occasion company will be competent.
04:39It's lustful.
04:40get sabi ka boat ban jaye we have an all MPs panel on news track tonight a Prajita Sarangi
04:49member of Parliament of the BJP Manikam Tagore MP of the Congress party we have Sushmita Dev
04:55representing the Trinamool Congress Manikam Tagore I'm looking at how the house has functioned the
05:01Prime Minister is right electoral losses are actually reflecting into parliamentary roadblocks
05:08the winter session of Parliament the looks of high in fact function for just 52% of the scheduled
05:14time which was held after Jammu and Kashmir Maharashtra Jharkhand and Haryana and Rajya Sabha
05:21function for just 39% of its scheduled time then why is the opposition not letting the house function
05:29and is reflecting its electoral setbacks on the floor of the house thank you Prime Minister
05:38has misunderstood the whole thing Prime Minister must understand should have seen this in a different
05:44every session has some kind of issues to come the monsoon session was a sudden SIR in Bihar which
05:53turned the whole game and the SIR was a it was a weapon to you which was used to delete names of
06:04those people from particular communities from backward and sugar caste and minority communities
06:11in that 30-day gap all the opposition parties were united for a debate on that subject we were demanding
06:18for a debate we were not asking some other thing we were asking for a discussion on that thing and
06:24discussion was not allowed the arrogance of the government was so high that every time when we
06:30we were asking for some discussion when if you remember 143 MPs has been suspended in Parliament
06:36what was the thing we were asking we were asking for the discussion on the attack on the Parliament
06:41we were asking for the Home Minister to reply for that we had all been suspended therefore every
06:47time when we demand for it when we demand for a discussion discussion is not allowed and the
06:52Parliament is is not functioning this we have to understand Prime Minister Prime Minister always
06:58pins every fact into some other thing before he has done that this part also it is good that you
07:05are asking the question we are very clear we want a discussion in the Parliament we we are asking it is
07:11not a Parliament is not a cheerleaders club if we have to ask us opposition MPs via our duties people
07:18have ordered us to the Parliament to ask questions yes but but among asking questions should not mean
07:25disruptions that is the point that has been made as well I am coming to a project but before that
07:29Sushmita Dev a question being asked now is that isn't the Parliament a platform come for constructive
07:37discussion why how is this constant disruption helping the cause of any of you any of the political
07:46parties because you are answerable to your constituents as well and they want issues to be raised in
07:52Parliament yeah I agree with you Maria when you say that what people expect from us whether it's in
08:02the constituency or in the nation it is a good discussion and a good debate but having said that in a
08:11democracy the government or the people in power cannot force you to discuss on the issues that suit them and it's
08:21convenient to them and avoid topics that is inconvenient to them when we say discuss on price size they want to
08:30discuss Olympics when we want to discuss the death of BLOs and the manner in which the SIR is being done they want to now and the
08:38SIR is being done they want to now discuss oranges you know that's what's happening in Parliament of
08:45course we want to discuss but you cannot you expect us to discuss what the BJP chooses to discuss we reflect
08:54the mood of the nation we reflect the sentiment of the people and you have to discuss things like air
09:02air pollution you have to discuss things like how the SIR is taking is impacting electoral democracy we have to
09:11discuss that need for electoral reforms you can't say now start discussing Olympics and sports day so I mean
09:20so I mean please I want the people and your while while while the prime minister spoke about where the
09:28opposition may be going wrong he also said that the treasury benches should not approach a parliament session
09:35with arrogance of victory does it mean that with repeated victories that the BJP is facing it's also not
09:43willing to accommodate what the opposition is demanding as their legitimate concern
09:50Honorable Prime Minister Srin Narendra Modi ji has shown the mirror to all the opposition members
09:58today and at the same time he has also given I would say a piece of advice to all the members of
10:08parliament cutting across party lines I have also been advised to indulge in constructive discussion so I
10:14think all the members of parliament whether in the Lok Sabha or the Rajya Sabha should utilize their time
10:20and actually focus on constructive discussions now let me tell you the monsoon session was a complete
10:27washout and at that point of time SIR of course had surfaced and vote Chori had surfaced and then I
10:35remember thereafter the Bihar results came and then thereafter the Bihar results actually made them sink in
10:43frustration and disappointment and anger these are the three words that come to my mind today after
10:48seeing their behavior in the house and outside the house I can only say that there's lack of maturity
10:54there's lack of balanced approach and of course they have they are sinking into the pit of depression and
11:00frustration and anger see they just cannot accept the fact that for the past 12 to 13 years they are
11:08out of power they have never been used to this now here is a government which comes to the Lok Sabha and
11:14the Rajya Sabha with reform agenda we want progress we want reform we want India to be among the list in the list of
11:21developed nations we are still a developing nation we want to be the third largest economy in the world I
11:27think these are our priorities now as far as the demand of the opposition is concerned I can tell you all
11:34our erudite people who are on the panel today they are all my esteemed colleagues in the Lok Sabha and the Rajya Sabha they know it
11:41very well that there is a business advisory committee the business advisory committee of the Lok Sabha at this juncture has
11:47decided that there would be about 10 to 12 hours discussion on one day matram and one day matram has completed its
11:55150 years so I think it's very befitting that we have discussion on that and in fact all have agreed and it's a
12:01multi-party sitting it's not just the BJP or the NDA deciding in the BAC and I think Kiran Rijuji in the Rajya Sabha was
12:09absolutely candid today very firmly he said very cut very candidly he said that the business advisory
12:17committee will take a view on the discussion on SIR and we are we are not averse to discussing any matter
12:23of whatsoever so tomorrow okay SIR may also be taken up provided the BAC decides okay I think the BAC will take a view
12:31okay so I think the BAC will take a view but before I end please I can only yes okay
12:39Manikam Tagore let's wait for the business advisory committee yeah business advisory committee met in
12:47saturday also you have to understand that the business advisory committee on sunday six o'clock it
12:52made for a five o'clock it made for a and first meeting happen and the opposition parties you have
12:58to understand that opposition means what it is opposition in Loktaba means 240 MPs in a 543 house
13:06member house 240 MPs are demanding for a subject to be included and you say thing that we will not include
13:1440 percentage of the MPs 43 percentage of the MPs say thing that we want this discussion to happen why SIR
13:20in Bihar 65 lakh waters has been deleted 12 states they are rolled out that pilot project back now how
13:26many crores of people's votes are going to be removed we want that discussion unilateralism of the election
13:32commission the way Ganesh Kumar and company are doing bulldosing the whole exercise this is our question
13:37without 30 days time BLS are taking committing suicides there are pressure on those officers in every level
13:46district administrations are stand still in everywhere these are meetings are not able to happen because
13:51of this SIR things a lot of pressure is on the officials that therefore we want that to be discussed
13:58and you are saying that we will not it's a political agenda it is victory Bihar victory come on please
14:0562 lakhs voters has been deleted that model is they are extending to 12 states we are against that
14:10thing we continue there is a we are so we said but money come to God having covered the Bihar elections
14:17and having followed the entire SIR process also the issue having been taken to the Supreme Court
14:22that deletion process may well very well be a cleanup exercise to say that it is linked to the Bihar results
14:29even though the Bihar results may not be correct no that is your opinion our opinion is different
14:36no your opinion your opinion may be different and the BJP opinion may be some other thing but my opinion
14:43is different RJD's opinion is same and the CPM MRL opinion is same the irony is the irony is that the
14:52the the elections happened in two phases and till now not a single voter who was supposed to be an
14:59eligible voter was not given a right to vote has been identified by any of the political parties
15:05either by the RJD or by the Congress to say that there are a significant number who have not been given
15:11the right to vote is a huge charge perhaps you should take this up and and it's a matter of concern and a
15:16concern that the opposition has all right to take up but the question then is how will the house function
15:23if this is about more political confrontation Sushmita Dev and ideological disagreement rather than
15:31parliamentary practice or you know it's about let there be discussion debate you may agree you may disagree
15:39but there has to be the functioning of the house the house should be allowed to function
15:45I I agree with you I have no disagreement with you Maria that there should be debate there should
15:52be discussion discussions we may agree on things we may not agree on things but like I'm saying again
16:00that you want to debate Bande Mataram please debate Bande Mataram the only reason they want to do it now
16:07is because they were naive enough and ignorant enough to say you can't say Bande Mataram in Rajya Sabha
16:14and you can't say Jay Hind in Rajya Sabha they are just trying to prove a point but they you have to reflect
16:19that what are the other burning issues today Manikam ji is saying again and again that
16:26that nobody is opposing SIR please understand it's not the first time that the SIR is happening in this country
16:36but the manner in which it is being done the manner in which it is being done and the fact that the ECI is sounding
16:45more and more like the mouthpiece of the BJP's is the main concern intensive revision has happened before
16:52but it's the manner in which it's done and it is manipulated that's the problem at the see we can shout on the streets
17:00we can debate on television but for it to be debated in the two houses of parliament is important because it comes on record
17:10it's very different to debate on TV and very different to debate in parliament so you want to debate Bande Mataram go ahead
17:19you want to debate Manipur go ahead but that doesn't mean that you don't accept the burning issues impacting the nation
17:27because it doesn't suit you you are happy to debate let's debate tomorrow
17:31yes okay it is a short winter session you know perhaps the shortest that we have seen Prajita Sarangi
17:38so the government will be asked this question that why is the winter session so such a brief one
17:45you could have extended the session ensure that the house would have function and as late Arunjetli famously said when he was in opposition
17:53that the owners of running the house is on the treasury benches
17:57if there is constructive discussion within the Lok Sabha and the Rajya Sabha
18:04naturally the entire duration of the parliament session would be lengthened
18:10but we are not here MPs from different corners of the country to listen to the all this ruckus
18:16we are not wanting to be a party to the ruckus we don't want to get disturbed so much
18:20it's better to you know go back to your constituency and work so I think there has to be order within the parliament
18:27now a couple of things now a couple of things Haryana Karnataka and Maharashtra chief electoral officers
18:34please recall they had written to or rather told Rahul Gandhi to give information about the bogus voters
18:43he was not able to provide that particular list so what is the halabulu when you are not able to qualify your statements with facts and substance
18:50and let me tell you that the integrity of the electoral role is fundamental to parliamentary democracy
18:57and please for heaven's sake go through article 324 of the constitution of India
19:02nobody is above the constitution of India
19:05it vests the superintendents direction control the preparation of electoral role and the conduct of all elections in India in the election commission
19:15the election commission has been going for sanitization of the voter database since 2003
19:22it started with Bihar so let me tell you this is not something new only that there are certain documents which have been added which is good
19:29we are trying to sanitize the database as best as we can 3.6 lakh fake voters found in Bihar
19:38I think we all should welcome this and I think election commission being an independent body has started an exercise
19:44and all of us should actually commend the efforts of the election commission
19:47it's a good governance measure and it is as per the provisions of the constitution of India
19:52so I think there is nothing big deal done now no big deal about having respond to this
19:56in 12 states of the country besides Bihar
19:59okay so it's not there
20:01no but as far as the discussion on burning issues is concerned the government of Narendra Modi ji is very much ready
20:08we would be taking up provide the BAC decides
20:11okay
20:12my colleague from the BJ
20:14colleague in the Lok Sabha and the BJP spokesperson
20:17in the passing remarks was mentioning about the leader of opposition
20:21leader of opposition was raising a very important issue
20:24on the vote-chory thing on Maharashtra and Haryana
20:28and Karnataka particularly on Mahadeva Prasit
20:32Mahadeva Prasit how the vote inclusion has created
20:38fake voters has been created
20:41and how in Haryana also 25 lakh new fake voters are there
20:45so this is a very serious thing
20:47let us understand that the state election commissioners are just working as irresponsible people
20:54they have to be responsible
20:56we are speaking about a serious thing
20:58a leader of opposition is speaking about a serious thing
21:00and the way the government as well as the election commission
21:03particularly the BJP and the election commission
21:06are speaking the same language
21:08the problem is there only
21:10the problem lies there
21:11therefore we want the election commission to be neutral
21:14we don't want the election to be on our side
21:17we want the election commission to be neutral
21:19they are not doing it
21:20therefore only this debate only we want to do it in parliament
21:23we are asking for that kind of
21:25some kind of discussion on this thing
21:27we know that government will accept at last
21:30because they have done it like this on Manipur issue also
21:33whole session was washed out one time
21:35because of Manipur
21:36we demanded for Manipur discussion
21:38next time they have to accept for that Manipur discussion
21:41and Manipur discussion happened
21:43therefore
21:44this discussion also
21:45SIR
21:46electoral reforms
21:47vote jury
21:48all are very important things
21:49this is the right to vote
21:50of an Indian
21:51is the most important thing
21:53and BJP members
21:54also knows that
21:56this is a very serious thing
21:57it is
21:58to save democracy in India
21:59the right to vote
22:00has to be saved
22:01and
22:02that is under attack
22:03therefore
22:04we have to understand that
22:05the importance of parliament
22:08lies with the members
22:09the opposition party also
22:11and the ruling party also
22:12our voices are not heard
22:14our
22:15the business of government
22:16only is accepted
22:17not the opposition's business
22:19opposition also has demands
22:21opposition also has issues to be raised in parliament
22:24we want the parliament to function
22:26but the government's arrogance
22:27government's one-sided views
22:29are only stopping the parliament
22:30and just my friend
22:32learned friend
22:35mentioned
22:36okay
22:37mentioned about
22:38mentioned about
22:39mentioned about
22:40that curtailing of the house
22:41it's a Gujarat model
22:42Gujarat assemblies also works
22:44very less
22:45now parliament is also working very less
22:47okay
22:48Sushminta Dev
22:49you see
22:50we every session
22:51we have the same debate on television
22:54that
22:55oh disruption
22:56and why is this not happening
22:57what is that
22:58now you think about it
23:00in Delhi
23:01recently
23:02near the Red Fort
23:03there is a bomb blast
23:05okay
23:06internal security needs to be debated
23:09you tell me
23:10when was the last time
23:12home ministry was debated as a ministry
23:15because why
23:18in the BAC meeting that you talk about
23:21generally it is negotiated between the party
23:24between the government and the opposition
23:27and the opposition
23:28which is the ministries that will be debated
23:31now what the
23:32what the government does is
23:34they cushion their ministries
23:37they save the
23:38they save the ministers
23:40and they save the government
23:41from controversial debates
23:43that's what happens in the business
23:45advisory committee meeting
23:46now there was a time in the 16th
23:48Lok Sabha
23:50when Modi government was very new
23:52that time Madame Sarangi was not there
23:55and I think the Modi government has still not run
23:58you know learned the ropes
24:00we used to have short duration discussions
24:03we used to have calling attention
24:05we used to have react to urgent issues in the state
24:09and it is to be done there and then
24:11people who have watched Maria you have been
24:15a journalist for almost two decades
24:18you've watched parliament
24:19tell me
24:20I mean tell me
24:22put your hand on your heart
24:23and tell me
24:24that how badly parliament and democracy has been impacted
24:29since BJP has learned the ropes
24:31you know parliament was vibrant
24:34you could criticize the government
24:36the government would be accountable
24:38the government would tell us where they went wrong
24:41and what they going to do to make it right
24:44that entire spirit of democracy is gone
24:47today we go to the well
24:49not because we like to go to the well
24:51but it's very simple
24:53desperate times need desperate measures
24:56okay
24:57this is a dictatorship
24:58okay
24:5930 seconds I have
25:00and then I'll wrap up this discussion
25:02Aparajita Sarangi
25:03you'll get the last word on the show
25:05because you have had two opposition leaders
25:07two opposition MPs
25:09questioning each and every move
25:10and the particularly the fact that this is a
25:13very brief winter session
25:15you know so opposition of course
25:17and neither will you get much chance to raise questions
25:20or raise issues
25:25there are 14 legislative and financial items listed for this session
25:3015 sitting spread over 19 days
25:33now my dear friends should actually decide to allow discussion on these 14 items
25:39we are aware of the fact that once the bills are discussed
25:42all opinions taken they will be formulated into acts and acts will be implemented for the benefit of the general public in the country
25:49so it's very important to focus on development
25:52are they going away from development
25:54are they going away from progress
25:55when they say no towards for discussion
25:58in the legislative item session
26:02now number 2 question
26:04today I was quite interested
26:06when Muse rather
26:08when Priyanka Gandhi said
26:10I wanted 0R
26:11they are not letting the 0R done
26:13now who stopped the 0R
26:15if you create this kind of ruckus in the house
26:18and keep telling things against the government outside the house
26:22and you don't allow things to function
26:25naturally the 0R cannot take place
26:27we want 0R
26:28I am an MP
26:29I want 0R
26:30but you have to allow that 0R to take place
26:32okay
26:33so I think
26:34this is a collective responsibility
26:35this is collective responsibility to run the parliament with maturity
26:43okay
26:44Prajita Sarangi, Manikam Tigor and Sushmita Dev
26:46really appreciate your time
26:47thank you for joining us here on news track
26:49of course we were expecting a similar debate to perhaps take place on the floor of the house
26:55inside parliament
26:56that did not happen
26:57so thank you for a fine debate on news track
27:01that's all from me
27:02I'll be seeing you tomorrow
27:03thanks so much for watching
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