NEW DELHI: In his first remarks on Rahul Gandhi’s controversial remarks in London and subsequent lockdown Parliament With the BJP demanding an apology from the Congress leader, Home Secretary Amit Shah on Friday called on the opposition to take two steps forward for talks, saying the government would match them for the resumption of House proceedings.
Attending the India Today Conclave here, Shah also said that there are some issues that are above politics and cited how former Prime Minister Indira Gandhi refused to discuss domestic politics on foreign soil during a visit to Great Britain.
“Let the two sides sit down in front of the Speaker and discuss. They should take two steps forward and we will take two steps forward. Then Parliament will begin to function. But just hold a press conference and do nothing, it can’t go like this,” she said.
“Despite our initiative, there has been no proposal for dialogue from the opposition. So who are we going to talk to? They are talking to the media… There is complete freedom of speech in Parliament. No one can stop you from speaking,” she said.
The minister said that Parliament functions according to certain rules which have not been defined by the current government. “These rules also existed in the days of the grandmother or the father. They were participating in the debate under these rules, we also participate under these rules. They have no idea about the rules and then claim they are not allowed to talk. This is not acceptable,” he said.
On Rahul’s recent comment on Britain’s ‘democracy under threat’, Shah referred to Indira Gandhi’s comments in the UK after Emergency and when the Shah Commission it was formed by the subsequent Janata Party government. “A reporter had asked her (in England) how your country is doing. She said ‘we have some problems but I don’t want to say anything here. My country is doing well. I won’t say anything about my country. Here I am an Indian’”, said Shah quoting Indira Gandhi.
The Home Secretary also cited former Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee’s visit to the UN when he was an opposition leader. He said that that time it was a Congress government and that was the first and last time that the Indian delegation was headed by an opposition leader (Vajpayee) because it was a discussion on Kashmir.
“There are some issues that concern politics. I believe that everyone should follow this tradition. We should go abroad and make accusations about India… I think Congress will have to respond to that,” Shah said.
When asked about the timing of the income tax investigation brought against the BBC, he retorted: “Why is nobody asking about the timing of the BBC documentary which was released a year before the election and two decades after the event?”
Regarding the allegation that he used investigative agencies to silence the opposition, he said: “…shouldn’t there be any corruption inquiry?”
Attending the India Today Conclave here, Shah also said that there are some issues that are above politics and cited how former Prime Minister Indira Gandhi refused to discuss domestic politics on foreign soil during a visit to Great Britain.
“Let the two sides sit down in front of the Speaker and discuss. They should take two steps forward and we will take two steps forward. Then Parliament will begin to function. But just hold a press conference and do nothing, it can’t go like this,” she said.
“Despite our initiative, there has been no proposal for dialogue from the opposition. So who are we going to talk to? They are talking to the media… There is complete freedom of speech in Parliament. No one can stop you from speaking,” she said.
The minister said that Parliament functions according to certain rules which have not been defined by the current government. “These rules also existed in the days of the grandmother or the father. They were participating in the debate under these rules, we also participate under these rules. They have no idea about the rules and then claim they are not allowed to talk. This is not acceptable,” he said.
On Rahul’s recent comment on Britain’s ‘democracy under threat’, Shah referred to Indira Gandhi’s comments in the UK after Emergency and when the Shah Commission it was formed by the subsequent Janata Party government. “A reporter had asked her (in England) how your country is doing. She said ‘we have some problems but I don’t want to say anything here. My country is doing well. I won’t say anything about my country. Here I am an Indian’”, said Shah quoting Indira Gandhi.
The Home Secretary also cited former Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee’s visit to the UN when he was an opposition leader. He said that that time it was a Congress government and that was the first and last time that the Indian delegation was headed by an opposition leader (Vajpayee) because it was a discussion on Kashmir.
“There are some issues that concern politics. I believe that everyone should follow this tradition. We should go abroad and make accusations about India… I think Congress will have to respond to that,” Shah said.
When asked about the timing of the income tax investigation brought against the BBC, he retorted: “Why is nobody asking about the timing of the BBC documentary which was released a year before the election and two decades after the event?”
Regarding the allegation that he used investigative agencies to silence the opposition, he said: “…shouldn’t there be any corruption inquiry?”
