‘This government uses bulldozers on the ground and bulldozes us inside Parliament’ | Idea Exchange News,The Indian Express
Previously a Lok Sabha MP from the Congress in Assam, Sushmita Dev joined the TMC a year ago while both DMK’s Kanimozhi NVN Somu from Tamil Nadu and CPM’s AA Rahim from Kerala are first-time MPs. They are among the 23 Opposition MPs who have been suspended for alleged misconduct from the Rajya Sabha this session.
Suspended Rajya Sabha MPs Sushmita Dev (TMC), Kanimozhi NVN Somu (DMK) and AA Rahim (CPM) on the Opposition’s trust deficit with the government, putting up a united front and why it has failed to counter the narrative set by the BJP. The session was moderated by Associate Editor Manoj CG.
Manoj CG: The Opposition had been demanding a discussion on price rise. The government says to let Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman return and you’re saying no, let’s start the discussion now. So is there a trust deficit?
Sushmita Dev: This government uses bulldozers on the ground and bulldozes us inside Parliament. We asked them to start the debate as a matter of urgency and as and when Nirmala Sitharaman returns, she can reply. You can call it a trust deficit but I think the deficit lies in what we think is a parliamentary democracy and how they define parliamentary democracy.
Kanimozhi NVN Somu: Why can’t the Prime Minister come and address us? Why should only the Finance Minister answer this? Doesn’t the PM hold any responsibility towards the people regarding the issues of GST rise or price rise?
AA Rahim: The core issue is not the discussion but the attitude of the government. The monsoon session opened with the addition of new unparliamentary words like corruption, dictatorial, criminal, betrayal and cheating… It is very clear that they are afraid. They keep away from discussion. We are representatives of the people, we will raise their issues in Parliament. That is part of the process of a democratic system. They’re afraid of the democratic system. I am a new member. I got a suspension on the ninth day of my parliamentary experience. In this short span, I couldn’t see my Prime Minister in the House. They have cut short the monsoon session to 17 days. Three more members have been suspended from the Rajya Sabha. I think their target (the number of members they want to suspend) is 75 because it is Azadi ka Amrit Mahotsav.
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