The Lok Sabha witnessed noisy protests by opposition parties seeking a discussion on Operation Sindoor on the first day of the Monsoon session
NEW DELHI — Rahul Gandhi, Leader of the Opposition (LoP) in the Lok Sabha, on Monday said that the Opposition is often not given the opportunity to express their views in Parliament, while members of the government consistently have the chance to do so.
Rahul Gandhi said that as the Leader of the Opposition in the Lok Sabha, it is his right to speak in the House, but he was not being allowed while the people of the government were making their statements.
His remarks came as the Monsoon Session of the Lok Sabha witnessed repeated disruptions on Monday, with the House being adjourned twice — first till noon and then again till 2 p.m. amid relentless sloganeering by the Opposition demanding an immediate discussion on Operation Sindoor and the Pahalgam terror attack.
Speaking to the reporters, the LoP said, “In the House, the Defence Minister is allowed to speak; their people (leaders of the ruling BJP-led NDA) are allowed to speak, but when the Opposition wants to say something, they are not allowed. I am the Leader of the Opposition; it is my right, but I am never allowed to speak.”
“Of course, there will be a discussion; if they allow it, then it will happen. But the issue is that convention says if the government’s members speak, then we should also be given space. We just wanted to say a few words, but the Opposition is not being allowed to do so,” he added.
Taking a swipe at Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Gandhi said he “ran out of the House in a second”.
Earlier in the day, Defence Minister Rajnath Singh assured the House that the government is fully prepared for a detailed debate on matters of national security, including the Pahalgam attack.
“I assure the parliamentarians that whatever discussion they want on security matters, no matter how long, we are completely ready to participate, whenever the Speaker allots time,” Singh said, responding to Opposition MPs questioning Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s absence from the House when they want to discuss the Pahalgam terror attack.
However, the Opposition continued to create a ruckus in the House. — With inputs from IANS
