Congress refuses to join probe into Rajya Sabha ruckus

Congress party has refused to take part in the special committee constituted to investigate the violent protests and scuffle between the members and the security staff in Rajya Sabha, alleging that the Government is "forcing" Rajya Sabha Chairman to take political stand.

New Delhi:Congress party, on Friday, refused to take part in the special committee constituted to investigate the violent protests and scuffle between the members and the security staff in Rajya Sabha, alleging that the Government is "forcing" Rajya Sabha Chairman to take political stand.

In a letter written by Congress' Leader of Opposition in Rajya Sabha Mallikarjun Kharge to Chairman Venkaiah Naidu, the former has stated that the inquiry committee on the incident of August 11 seemed to be "designed to intimidate MPs into silence".

Speaking to ETV Bharat, Congress MP Manickam Tagore said, "The issue is that Parliamentary Affairs Minister and other people from the government want the Parliament to be made as the Gujarat Assembly. Same methodology they are applying. They are trying to pressurize and create fear kind of situation. Parliament is a place where Opposition's voices are heard. You can't run a mute Parliament."

He further added, "The incident of August 11 is because the Opposition was not allowed to speak. The intent of the government is very unfortunate. Therefore, Kharge ji has made it very clear to the chairman that the intimidation politics of the government can't be allowed."

Tagore alleged, "This methodology is the main thing which is completely unacceptable to us and we are not ready to cooperate with this government's strategy to drag politics into the Parliament functioning. They are forcing the Chairman to take a political stand. That is very unfortunate."

He also mentioned that Indian National Congress along with other Opposition parties was "willing and eager" to discuss all matters of public importance in the recently concluded Monsoon session.

"It will not only suppress the voices of the peoples' representatives but will deliberately brush aside all those that are uncomfortable to the government. I am, therefore, unequivocally against constituting the Inquiry Committee and the question of our party proposing the name of a member from our party for nomination to this committee does not arise," Kharge alleged.