Sharad Pawar, claims that it is an assault on democratic rights to forbid protests inside Parliament

Sharad Pawar, the leader of the NCP, sharply criticised the Rajya Sabha secretariat's directive on Friday prohibiting protests, dharnas, fasts, and religious ceremonies within the walls of Parliament House and demanded to know whether opposition parties had been given a hearing. He asserted that it was an effort to restrict the opposition's freedom to express its opinions, hold rallies, and yell slogans.

 

After addressing the party gathering in Nagpur, Pawar stated that he and other opposition leaders would discuss the matter at the all-party meeting on Saturday to be held prior to the start of the monsoon session of Parliament. If members of Parliament are unsatisfied with the Chair's or a minister's response, they will leave the chamber. Later, the members might hold a "dharna" in front of the statue of Mahatma Gandhi, which is located on the grounds of Parliament. Demonstrations and sit-in dharnas, however, are prohibited by the circular," said Pawar.

 

The Rajya Sabha secretariat claimed that the circular was not new and that similar advice had previously been repeated. A similar circular is typically released in advance of each Parliamentary session. A copy of a similar circular released in 2013 under the leadership of the Congress-led UPA was also made available by the secretariat. Jairam Ramesh, the chief whip of the Congress in the Rajya Sabha, was the first person to use Twitter to criticise the government in response to the circular.

 

He tweeted, "Vishguru's latest salvo - D(h)arna Mana Hai!" and attached a copy of the July 14 circular. Sitaram Yechury, the leader of the CPI-M, also criticised the government on Twitter and claimed that these were attempts to silence the voice of democracy.

"That is absurd. The attempts to stifle India's democracy, its very voice, and its soul will fail "said he.

 

 

Image Courtesy: Twitter @ndtv