Oppn demand for PM statement on Manipur 'constitutionally ill-premised', says Dhankhar

Cong cites Vajpayee's statement

Rajya Sabha Chairman Jagdeep Dhankhar on Tuesday said the Opposition's demand for Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s response on the Manipur issue in Parliament is “constitutionally infirm and ill-premised” but the I.N.D.I.A parties refused to bow down, leading to vociferous protests, walkouts, and adjournment.

Making his remarks as soon as the House assembled and official papers were tabled, Dhankhar reasoned that the accountability of the government and executive to the legislature is “collective” and cited a 2014 ruling by the Chair on a similar demand raised by then CPI(M) floor leader Sitaram Yechury, while telling MPs to “seriously introspect” their position.

Though the Congress did not mention Dhankhar, it referred to a series of interventions and speeches by former Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee, including in August 2000 on foreign policy regarding Pakistan, in August 2001 on the UTI scam on a notice by Manmohan Singh, and in March 2003 on the situation in Iraq among others, to buttress their point.

Party General Secretary Jairam Ramesh tweeted how Vajpayee responded to a motion on May 6, 2002 moved by late Congress MP Arjun Singh in Rajya Sabha, expressing concern over the Gujarat riots. He said then Leader of Opposition Manmohan Singh spoke on the motion at 12:04 pm followed by Vajpayee at 12:26 pm, Home Minister L K Advani at 12:56 pm. Singh replied to the motion at 1:35 pm following which the motion was adopted unanimously.

Those questioning the demand of INDIA parties for a statement by the Prime Minister on Manipur in the Rajya Sabha to be followed by a discussion should recall what had happened in May 2002 in the very same House.

Here’s the chronology of events:—

On May 6, 2002, the Rajya Sabha…

— Jairam Ramesh (@Jairam_Ramesh) August 1, 2023

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Expressing “deep concern and anguish” over protests disrupting Parliament functioning since the start of Monsoon Session on July 20, Dhankhar said the MPs have plunged the Rajya Sabha into “virtual irrelevance”. It does not gel with the logic and rational approach that for the last eight days, the House is being disrupted over the same issue, he said.

He went on to say, “the insistence of the Opposition members that the Prime Minister responds (to the debate) is Constitutionally ill-premised. The accountability of the government and executive to the legislature is a collective responsibility” and referred to the Chair’s direction to an issue raised by a “distinguished member” like Yechury.

This did not find support from the Opposition benches, leading to adjournment till noon and later, a walkout during Question Hour. In the afternoon session also, the Opposition demanded an immediate discussion on Manipur with the Prime Minister’s statement. Later, they walked out.

Referring to a meeting he had with floor leaders on Monday to end the stalemate, Dhankhar said that a short duration discussion of two-and-half-hour has been allowed but more time could be allotted so that everyone gets a chance to express their views but despite that discussion could not take place.

“We have created a situation whereby we are throwing out the baby with the bath water,” he said adding, a “very dangerous precedent” is emanating before the country that the oath and commitment are being seriously compromised by these actions.