On a day Opposition parties protested against the Bihar SIR and alleged electoral malpractices, Union Minister for Parliamentary Affairs Minister Kiren Rijiju on Monday slammed the repeated disruptions in Parliament and warned the Opposition that the government would proceed with its legislative agenda without their participation. At a press conference, Rijiju did not rule out an early end to the Monsoon session, saying the Congress and other Opposition parties were not interested in allowing Parliament to function. “Woh toh dekhte hain (Let us see). Opposition is not interested in allowing Parliament to function. It is interested only in headline management. They do not trust democratic institutions,” Rijiju said after he was asked about an early end to the session. The session began on June 21 and has witnessed disruptions for 14 days, barring a two-day discussion on Operation Sindoor and the Pahalgam terror attack. It is scheduled to conclude on August 21. “Every day, we will not allow the country’s and Parliament’s time to be wasted on one issue. We will pass important Bills,” Rijiju said. The minister said the government was keen to have a discussion on important Bills, but repeated disruptions by the Opposition were leading to adjournments in both Houses. The minister said he was making a “last appeal” to the Opposition, and that the government would pass Bills without their participation. “You participate in discussions. Don’t say later that you were not allowed to participate in the debate. You can put across your views, move amendments and give dissent notes. It is your right. You have come to Parliament,” Rijiju said. The minister claimed that some opposition members have said that they were helpless as their leader has been allowing deliberate disruption of Parliament. “People have been elected to Parliament for public welfare, but if you are going to resort to disruptions every day, how will you serve the people?” Rijiju said. The minister said the Opposition has no trust in the Supreme Court, the Election Commission or Parliament. On the opposition march to the Election Commission, Rijiju said the poll authority had called a 30-member delegation comprising two members from each party to meet them on the issue of electoral roll revision in Bihar. “If they cannot decide on their leaders or representatives, why seek an appointment from the Election Commission? Now, Kharge says the entire opposition is VIP. Will all the members of the Opposition go to the CEC’s room?” Rijiju asked.
