Delhi: Union Parliamentary Affairs Minister Kiren Rijiju on Monday squarely blamed the Congress leadership for the disruption of proceedings in the Lok Sabha, claiming that the debate on the Motion of Thanks to the President’s Address could not take place due to deliberate obstruction by the Opposition.
Speaking to reporters, Rijiju said the government was fully prepared to conduct the debate, but continuous disruptions prevented the House from functioning. “We wanted the debate to happen, but the Leader of the Congress party in the Lok Sabha does not want the House to run,” he said, adding that even the Speaker was visibly distressed by the conduct of Congress MPs.
Rijiju warned that repeated stalling of proceedings could ultimately hurt the Opposition more than the government. “If the Budget ends up being passed through a voice vote because the House is not allowed to function, Opposition MPs will lose their chance to speak. That responsibility will lie entirely with the Congress party,” he said.
The minister revealed that the ruling alliance had already followed parliamentary procedure by submitting a complete list of NDA MPs scheduled to participate in the Budget debate. “We have done our part. If members are denied the opportunity to speak, it is not because of the government,” he stated.
Taking direct aim at Congress leader Rahul Gandhi, Rijiju said the stalemate was the result of what he described as “stubbornness” and refusal to follow established parliamentary norms. “In Parliament, everyone must speak within the rules. If someone goes beyond the rules, there is a system to handle it. These systems were not created today—they have existed for decades,” he said.
Rijiju also pushed back against claims that procedural objections were politically motivated. “The rules were framed long ago, even during the time of his grandparents. Parliament cannot function if members refuse to respect those rules,” he added.
