New Delhi, Aug 12 — Following Union Home Minister Amit Shah's statement on Wednesday that he is "ready to answer everything", Union Parliamentary Affairs Minister Kiren Rijiju said that if the Congress and other Opposition parties agree to attend the discussion they sought regarding the alleged police excesses on student agitators during the July 20 'Sansad Chalo' march, even on the last day of the Parliament's Monsoon Session on Thursday, the "Centre is willing to extend the time".
Addressing reporters amid the ongoing Parliament deadlock between the government and the Opposition, Rijiju said: "For the first time in my life, I am witnessing such a situation where the government wants discussion in Parliament, but the Opposition is running away. It is difficult to imagine because in a parliamentary democracy, it is the Opposition parties who demand a discussion and the government responds."
He asserted that such a situation is "not right for a democracy".
Maintaining that the government has repeatedly said that it is "ready" for the Opposition-demanded discussion, he referred to the letter written by HM Shah to Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla, saying that the Home Minister was "compelled" to do so.
"Have you ever heard that the government is appealing to the Speaker of the House to consult with and request the Opposition to come together and agree to a discussion?" he asked.
He added: "In 30 years of my career, I have never seen such an Opposition which runs away from discussion. Then how will the Parliament function?"
Targeting the Congress, the Union Minister said: "Throughout the Monsoon Session, the Congress party and some other parties have been creating disruptions. Now, the public also wants to know why the Congress party is running away from the discussion."
"Now the Congress MPs think that their only work is to stage protests and raise slogans. They have made this as 'normal' and have forgotten to take part in discussions inside the Parliament. I can't imagine that this is the same Congress which ruled the country for more than 50 years. Nobody can think that the Congress would be reduced to such a state that it is not even ready to face Parliament," he remarked.
The Union Minister accused the Opposition of not realising its basic responsibility "which is to question the government and seek answers from it".
"Here, the Congress and the Opposition do not want any discussion on the floor of the House. I feel sorry for the young, first-time Members of Parliament. Ever since they were elected to this House, they have not seen any quality debate," he further said.
"Opposition parties running away from debates in a Parliamentary democracy is unthinkable and incomprehensible, despite the government insisting for discussion," he reiterated.
Responding to a question on whether the government will extend time for discussion, Kiren Rijiju said: "We are saying that if the Congress says even at 11 a.m. tomorrow that it is ready for a discussion, we will extend the time."