Ravi Shankar Prasad: ‘Why is Congress, Opposition shying away from a debate?'

Indian Express

3 days ago

What do you have to say about the Opposition's uproar over Bihar voter rolls revision?
The Opposition has got the right to ask questions, including occasionally creating ruckus as well. But how long will it continue? (LoP, Lok Sabha) Rahul Gandhi says he is not being allowed to speak but his party is in the forefront of creating a complete chaos in the House. Why is Congress and the Opposition shying away from a debate on any issue? Today is the third day. We go and sit and come back. It is agonising, painful and disgusting, to say the least. The whole nation watches us. You can question us in any powerful debate and make us uncomfortable, and we are equally competent to reply to all your debates to make you uncomfortable. Why don't you allow the debate to happen? And then you complain — 'meri awaaz shaant ki jaati hai (my voice is being silenced)'.
Why is the debate not being taken up?
The larger question is: are they interested in debate? Every debate has to be structured as per Parliamentary rules. Has 16 hours not been allocated for the Operation Sindoor debate, with nine hours in the Rajya Sabha? That is the way the House functions. You ask for a debate, it will be accepted, it will be prepared. You unleash a big attack, we will respond… As far as SIR is concerned, I will raise some questions. To be a voter you have to be a citizen of India – can the EC examine it or not? To be a voter you have to be an ordinary resident of an area. Can the EC examine that or not… Today there are lakhs of votes of people who are dead or have migrated to other areas… What is the problem if these things are being examined by the EC?
They (Opposition) sometimes claim there is a faulty voter list. And now when revision is being done, they have a problem. Once the draft publication is done, you have a right to file objections, to appeal to the collector, to file a second appeal for revision before the Chief Electoral Officer. So many mechanisms are available.
RJD leader Tejashwi Yadav has said the Mahagathbandhan may take a call to 'boycott Bihar polls' in view of the SIR exercise?
I believe that is a casual comment. I will only tell him, 'young man, don't shy away from a fight.' As for Rahul Gandhi's venomous attack on the EC, I will say one thing in Hindi: 'Agar aap ko vote nahin milta to hum kya karein (What do we do if people don't vote for you)?'
Even JD(U) MP Giridhari Yadav has questioned the SIR exercise…
I don't want to make any comments on individual members. I know that Nitish Kumar, the whole JD(U) and the entire NDA is one.
Some critics say in a state like Bihar the exercise can be a huge inconvenience and end up disenfranchising many voters…
Haven't 98% of people already filled out the form? Or maybe 99%? Just tell me. People know their rights, people know their obligations and they are following it.