KC Venugopal Calls Kiren Rijiju’s Remark ‘Biggest Joke’ Over Amit Shah Row

Venugopal, who was walking towards his car at the Parliament complex amid light rain, laughed at the remark. Rolling down his car window while speaking to NDTV, he said, “Biggest joke which I heard today is that,” and clapped his hands in response.

Calling Rijiju’s statement the “biggest joke in this Parliament,” Venugopal said, “There was a discussion on examination bill, he (Amit Shah) could have come.”

The Congress MP questioned the Centre over the police crackdown on protesters and said the Opposition has been demanding that Home Minister Amit Shah appear in Parliament and explain the alleged use of pellet guns in Delhi and AK-47s in Bihar during protests over examination irregularities.

Congress MP Priyanka Gandhi also raised questions over Amit Shah’s absence from the House. “I think he (Amit Shah) is afraid to come (to Parliament). He is not coming for some reason. He should come, he should answer, and he should make a statement. What is the big deal in that? If something wrong has happened, then take responsibility,” she said.

Leader of Opposition in the Rajya Sabha Mallikarjun Kharge also reiterated his demand that the Home Minister deliver a statement on police action against protesters on July 20.

Kharge claimed that Rajya Sabha Chairperson CP Radhakrishnan had issued a direction to Amit Shah. However, Parliamentary Affairs Minister Kiren Rijiju rejected the claim.

The Congress leader said, “You (the Chair) had asked the Home Minister to come and deliver a statement in the House. But they (the treasury benches) are not respecting your word and are insulting the House.”

Responding to Kharge’s allegation, Rijiju said that the Opposition cannot decide which minister will come to the House and when. He claimed that Home Minister Amit Shah attends the Parliament complex daily.

“The LoP is misleading the House. There has been no direction by the Chair. I am saying this on the record: The minister responsible for the business before the House gives the reply. The Opposition will not decide which minister is to come and when,” Rijiju said.

He further added, “There has been no direction issued for any minister to come to the House. You all raise slogans and immediately leave the Parliament, whereas the Home Minister stays there from morning until late at night; yet, when he rises to reply, you will not be able to listen. You people lack the guts; you only engage in sloganeering and disrupt business.”

Amid rain, Opposition MPs carrying umbrellas and placards against the Central government staged a protest in front of Makar Dwar of Parliament. The protesters raised slogans including “Amit Shah jawab do” (Answer Amit Shah).

Samajwadi Party MP Rajeev Rai also questioned why the Home Minister was not coming to the House. “Why isn't he coming to the House? I feel he simply won't be able to stomach it. He wouldn't be able to hear the truth about how our daughters' clothes were torn, and how lathis and pellet guns were used against them. If he has the courage, let him come,” he said.

The exchange between the Opposition and the government intensified as demands continued for Amit Shah’s statement in Parliament over the alleged police action during protests and the handling of the issue by the Centre.