New Delhi: Launching a scathing attack on Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who accused the Opposition of disrupting the Parliament proceedings, Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge said most interruptions happened when the BJP was the principal Opposition, news agency PTI reported.
Kharge cited data from the past two decades to back his claim and said that most interruptions in Parliament occurred during 15th Lok Sabha (2009-2014) when the BJP was the principal Opposition party.
"So, it is the BJP which has indulged in 'cheerharan' (disrobing) of Parliament, and not the Opposition. Democracy is in danger: Courtesy BJP,” PTI quoted Kharge as saying.
Taking potshots at the saffron party, Kharge accused it of being “autocratic” and “corroding” parliamentary democracy, violating the Constitution and also "strangulating" the voice of the Opposition.
"Pradhan Mantri ji made a statement outside the Parliament. We want to remind him how his government is responsible for corroding Parliamentary democracy. In the last session of Parliament, as many as 14 Bills were passed in just three days, by suspending an unprecedented 146 MPs from both Houses. The current Lok Sabha will finish its five-year term without a Deputy Speaker, a position conventionally reserved for an opposition member. This shows how an autocratic Modi Government is violating the Constitution, and strangulating the voice of the Opposition,” PTI quoted Kharge as saying.
Notably, ahead of Parliament's last session before the Lok Sabha elections, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Wednesday asserted that the country has been scaling new heights of progress and its journey of "all-inclusive and all-round" development will continue with the people's blessings.
He also targeted the Opposition saying those in the habit of disrupting the House proceedings “will self-introspect on what they did in their term as members of Parliament”.
“I hope the MPs who are in the habit of ripping apart democratic values will self-introspect on what they did in their term as members of Parliament. Those who contributed positively to the Parliament will be remembered by all. But those members who caused disruptions will hardly be remembered,” PM Modi said.