Kathmandu— Union Parliamentary Affairs Minister Kiren Rijiju on Tuesday accused Congress and other opposition parties of intentionally avoiding a comprehensive discussion on ongoing student protests and obstructing Parliament's functioning, stating that the government has offered and remains ready to engage in a detailed debate with a response from Union Home Minister Amit Shah. Speaking to reporters in New Delhi, Rijiju asserted the government’s willingness to address all concerns raised by the opposition regarding the protests, but claimed they are actively preventing any meaningful dialogue from taking place.

Government Offers Detailed Discussion

Rijiju stated that the government had proposed a “complete and detailed discussion” on all aspects of the student protests, with Home Minister Amit Shah prepared to respond to all questions. He emphasized that despite this offer, opposition parties are preventing debate from occurring within Parliament. "Yesterday, we made an offer that the government is ready for a complete and detailed discussion over everything which happened around the students’ protest," Rijiju said. “We had the reply ready and Home Minister Amit Shah was ready too. But they (the opposition) are not letting a discussion happen.”

Opposition Tactics Criticized

The minister criticized Congress for staging protests outside Parliament while simultaneously blocking discussions within, claiming this demonstrates an unwillingness to engage in constructive dialogue. “Today, too, we were ready,” Rijiju continued. “But Congress ran away and sloganeered outside, not letting a discussion take place. It is clear to the people of the country that we are ready for a discussion and Congress is running away from it.” He also addressed demands from Congress leader Rahul Gandhi for a statement from the Home Minister, clarifying that the government offered a full-fledged discussion with a comprehensive response instead.

Jharkhand Protests and Allegations

Rijiju responded to questions regarding police action against protestors in Jharkhand, noting that the state is governed by an alliance between Congress and JMM. He stated Rahul Gandhi should answer for those actions, as they fall outside of the central government’s purview. The minister also dismissed opposition allegations of financial impropriety – referred to as “chanda chori” – stating the focus remains on facilitating discussion regarding the student protests.

Speaker Appeals for Order

Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla appealed to all members to allow Parliament to function normally, reiterating that the government has agreed to a discussion on student issues and that the Home Minister is prepared to respond. He stressed the importance of Question Hour and urged cooperation from both sides, adding that “the people of the country also want to see the House function.” Birla noted that the government’s willingness to discuss the matter had removed a key obstacle raised by the opposition.

The Monsoon Session is nearing its end with continued deadlock between the ruling party and the opposition over student protests and other issues, despite repeated appeals for constructive dialogue.

(With inputs from ANI)

Originally published on abcnews.com.np.