Centre snatching MP's right by suspending Question Hour, says Sachin Pilot

After the government has decided to not conduct the Question Hour in the upcoming monsoon session in parliament, Sachin Pilot termed it non-democratic decision saying MP's will lose their right. Showing concern over the country's economy, he said that the government should call an all-party meeting to plan a road map to revive the economy after the pandemic.

Jaipur: Congress leader Sachin Pilot slammed the Centre over its decision to not conduct the Question Hour in the upcoming monsoon session in parliament saying that the government is snatching MPs rights. Opposition MPs will lose the right to question the government.

"What is the benefit of such a session where the elected MP cannot ask questions to the government. The pandemic was being used as an excuse to get rid of the questions of the opposition. The decision is not democratic, the government should think about once again." Pilot said.

Showing concern over the country's economy, he said that the government should call an all-party meeting to plan a road map to revive the economy after the pandemic.

The government’s decision to suspend Question Hour in the upcoming monsoon session of Lok Sabha has triggered widespread outrage among Opposition parties, which accused the government of using the pandemic as an excuse to do away with any form of accountability.

Earlier, Congress MP Shashi Tharoor said questioning the government is the oxygen of parliamentary democracy. "I said four months ago that strongmen leaders would use the excuse of the pandemic to stifle democracy and dissent. The notification for the delayed Parliament session blandly announces there will be no Question Hour. How can this be justified in the name of keeping us safe," Mr Tharoor said.

"Questioning the government is the oxygen of parliamentary democracy. This government seeks to reduce parliament to a notice-board and uses its crushing majority as a rubber-stamp for whatever it wants to pass. The one mechanism to promote accountability has now been done away with," added the Congress MP from Kerala.

Union Minister Prakash Javadekar, reacting to the uproar, said: "Parliament is being held under special circumstances. The parliamentary affairs minister is in touch with all parties."

Opposition leaders say they were told by Defence Minister Rajnath Singh that if there was a Question Hour, ministers would need to be briefed by officials of their ministries and this would raise the number of visitors to parliament in COVID times.