Rajya Sabha: Congress refuses to be part of proposed panel to probe violence in House

The Congress on Thursday formally refused to be part of an inquiry committee that the Chairman of Rajya Sabha N Venkaiah Naidu proposed to set up to probe the violent incidents that took place in the Upper House on the last working day of the abruptly concluded monsoon session of Parliament in August. Many other like-minded opposition parties, including DMK, RJD, TMC, Shiv Sena and Left Parties, too are thinking of refusing to be part of the proposed committee, it is learnt.

The government side had formally registered complaints with the office of the chairman and named some Opposition MPs in this regard.

In a letter to the chairman, Leader of the Opposition Mallikarjun Kharge argued the opposition was keen to participate in discussions and alleged it was the government that obstructed smooth functioning of the session. Refusing to be part of the commitee, Kharge said in his letter, 'the Opposition parties always held the ideals of Parliamentary democracy in high regard. Constituting an inquiry committee on the incidents of August 11, 2021 seems to be designed to intimidate MPs into silence. It will not only suppress the voices of the people's representatives but will deliberately brush aside all those that are uncomfortable to the government"