Congress MP Imran Pratapgarhi: ‘Why Govt can't debate SIR? What is more important than citizens' voting rights?'

Indian Express

a day ago

Amid the continuing standoff in Parliament between the government and the Opposition over the Election Commission (EC)'s special intensive revision (SIR) of electoral rolls in poll-bound Bihar, the Congress party's Rajya Sabha MP Imran Pratapgarhi, 38, speaks to The Indian Express over the logjam and the Opposition's demand, among other issues. Excerpts:
* For the last few days, the Congress has been alleging that the CISF personnel have been present in the Rajya Sabha. What is the issue?
Parliament has always had its own security, which has been monitored by the Speaker of the Lok Sabha and Chairman of the Rajya Sabha. It has been a year since the security arrangements were changed in Parliament, and the security was handed over to the CISF. Giving security outside (the House) to the CISF is understandable. But inside the House, if the CISF dictates how members act, then it is a first in a parliamentary democracy and is shameful. The Leader of the Opposition in the Rajya Sabha (Mallikarjun Kharge) has written to the Deputy Chairman, saying that when members protest and try to enter the Well (of the House) and the way the CISF jawans stop them, it is shameful.
* When did the Opposition members notice this change in security apparatus?
We have been seeing it for a while now. But the way the marshals reach the Well of the House, it seems like it is an anti-terrorist or anti-bomb squad. They create a circle and stop members from entering the Well… How can they bring CISF personnel to the House? We will protest this.
* J P Nadda, Leader of the House in the Rajya Sabha, said that Opposition members are creating anarchy in the House. What is your response?
J P Nadda should hear speeches by the Leaders of Opposition in the past, Arun Jaitley and Sushma Swaraj, who were from his party. They had said that if someone creates disruptions in the House, then it is a part of the democratic norms. This is not a school where the Chairman will act like a principal and the Leader of the House will act like a class monitor. In a parliamentary democracy, both sides – Treasury and Opposition – have equal roles… On Vice-President Jagdeep Dhankhar's last day in the House, Nadda said nothing will go on record. That is not his prerogative.
* During the Monsoon Session, we have seen most days being washed out except the discussion on Operation Sindoor. The government and the Opposition are blaming each other for the impasse. When will this end?
It is the government's responsibility to run the House. The government doesn't give importance to the meetings of the Business Advisory Committee (BAC). You don't listen to the Opposition. From day one, we have been protesting against the SIR. Why can't they hold a discussion on the issue? It is related to the voting rights of citizens, and what is more important than that? The Parliament session is not just for passing Bills, the House is meant for discussion and debate… When you want to get Bills passed, you do it by suspending members.
* If the government doesn't agree for a discussion on the SIR, will the remainder of the session also be washed out?
You should ask the government why they won't agree to a debate on the SIR. What is wrong with a discussion? What option does the Opposition have other than protests? I ask this from every intellectual in the country.
Asad Rehman is with the national bureau of The Indian Express and covers politics and policy focusing on religious minorities in India. A journalist for over eight years, Rehman moved to this role after covering Uttar Pradesh for five years for The Indian Express.
During his time in Uttar Pradesh, he covered politics, crime, health, and human rights among other issues. He did extensive ground reports and covered the protests against the new citizenship law during which many were killed in the state.
During the Covid pandemic, he did extensive ground reporting on the migration of workers from the metropolitan cities to villages in Uttar Pradesh. He has also covered some landmark litigations, including the Babri Masjid-Ram temple case and the ongoing Gyanvapi-Kashi Vishwanath temple dispute.
Prior to that, he worked on The Indian Express national desk for three years where he was a copy editor.
Rehman studied at La Martiniere, Lucknow and then went on to do a bachelor's degree in History from Ramjas College, Delhi University. He also has a Masters degree from the AJK Mass Communication Research Centre, Jamia Millia Islamia. ... Read More