From the gallery: Five questions to P Rajeeve of CPM

Why did you press for the amendments over corruption and black money?

Because these issues were not addressed in the speech and the Opposition unitedly, except the AIADMK, wanted a clarification on them.

How did you manage to rally the Opposition together?

We just spoke to everyone and all decided to come together. We moved 88 amendments but there was unanimity on this one. BJD, BSP,  TMC, all came together.

But what about Parliamentary precedence?

There have a few instances. it is our right to move an amendment to the motion moved by a member of the House. This was not an amendment to the President’s address but to the motion of thanks moved by a member of the ruling party.

Did the Prime Minister’s tone and the fact that he did not really adopt a conciliatory approach provoke you?

Yes. He was not ready to hear even the Leader of Opposition out. The government should be ready to listen to the Opposition. The PM was attacking everyone.  It (the speech) was aggressive. This government in the House resembles a combination of three features – the autocratic nature of Indira Gandhi, the neo-liberal face of the Congress in 1991 and the Vajpayee government’s communalism.