Parliamentary affairs minister Kiren Rijiju on Tuesday pushed back against the Opposition’s demand for an immediate debate on the special intensive revision (SIR) of electoral rolls, saying the government is open to discussions but will not work under fixed timelines.
His remarks came after a heated start to the Winter Session in the Parliament, with the Opposition pressing for urgent deliberations on the controversial exercise that has triggered protests inside both Houses.
On Tuesday, Opposition parties staged a walk out from Rajya Sabha demanding that the SIR debate be taken up as the House’s top priority, “people are dying because of SIR,” TMC leader Derek O’Brien said. But the parliamentary affairs minister maintained that the scheduled discussion on ‘Vande Mataram’ would proceed first. “Vande Mataram is a matter related to our freedom struggle,” news agency PTI quoted Rijiju as saying.
Don’t set timeline, says Kiren Rijiju
Responding to Leader of Opposition in Rajya Sabha Mallikarjun Kharge, who sought an immediate discussion on SIR in the Upper House, Rijiju said, “Please don’t put timeline condition on anything,” he said, adding that consultations with leaders of various parties would take place “formally or informally” before the House takes up the matter, PTI report said.
He stressed that Parliament must function through dialogue. “The problem begins when you start questioning the time. Everything cannot be mechanical. In Parliamentary democracy, we have to engage in dialogue, we have to engage in discussion,” he said.
Rijiju also took aim at the Opposition benches, saying, “You are unable to win elections and people do not believe in you and you vent out your anger in Parliament. This is not right.”
Meeting with Opposition ‘very soon’
Leader of the House in Rajya Sabha JP Nadda said engagements with Opposition leaders were imminent.
“I am told that very soon a meeting is going to take place with Opposition leaders and very soon we will decide,” he said, backing Rijiju’s assurance that “we will come back” after consultations.
SIR triggers protests
In the Lok Sabha, proceedings were adjourned for the day on Tuesday after Congress and other Opposition members staged protests demanding an urgent debate on the SIR.
The issue has dominated the opposition’s attacks since October 27, when the Election Commission launched the second phase of the revision across nine states and three Union Territories, covering nearly half of India’s electorate.
Opposition parties have accused the EC of acting “at the behest of the BJP” and rolling out the exercise without sufficient preparation. They argue that “tight timelines” disrupted voters and officials.
Meanwhile, the poll body has extended SIR schedule by a week in a bid to ensure “full transparency”.
Apart from the SIR controversy, Opposition parties also want discussions on the recent blast near Delhi’s Red Fort, worsening air quality in the capital, and foreign policy matters.
