Raising issues of people not drama, not allowing discussion on them is: Priyanka Gandhi
New Delhi (PTI): Raising issues concerning the people is not drama but not allowing democratic discussion on them is, Congress leader Priyanka Gandhi Vadra said on Monday while hitting out at Prime Minister Narendra Modi for accusing the opposition of indulging in drama in Parliament.
Responding to Modi's remarks ahead of the Winter session of Parliament, Priyanka Gandhi demanded a debate on urgent issues such as air pollution and SIR and said these were huge public issues that needed to be discussed in Parliament.
"What is Parliament for. It's not drama. Speaking about issues and raising issues is not drama. Drama is not allowing discussion. Drama is not having a democratic discussion about issues that matter to the public," she told reporters outside Parliament.
"We have spoken about air pollution, why are we not raising it. Why are we not allowed to discuss these things," she asked.
She termed the air quality issue in Delhi shameful and said everyone must come together to take strong steps to tackle the problem and save the health of children, elderly and those already suffering from respiratory issues.
"I really feel that this situation is shameful. This is the capital city of our country. I feel that we should set aside parties and all should put all our forces together - administrative, political, civil society, judicial and we should take some strong steps," she said.
Citing a study, she said 22 lakh children have permanent damage to their lungs apparently due to air pollution.
"How one can do this to our children. There are old people who are suffering, people who have asthma already and people have other respiratory issues, hospitals are full of respiratory issues. How can we sit here and do nothing.
"I really feel that all of us should get together and take strong steps. We are here to support the government. The Central government and state government must take immediate action," the Congress leader said.
Hitting out at the opposition for stalling parliamentary proceedings earlier in the day, Modi said, "We need to work with a sense of responsibility. Parliament is not a place for drama, it is a place for delivery."
Speaking to reporters outside Parliament ahead of the Winter session, he said the session must not become a stage for political theatrics but a platform for constructive and result-driven debate, and offered to give the opposition tips to bring positivity in politics.
"For some time now, our Parliament is being used either as a warm up arena for elections or as an outlet for frustration after defeat," he said.
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Congress using hijab issue to pacify minority anger, alleges Karnataka LoP R Ashoka
Bengaluru: Leader of Opposition in the Assembly R. Ashoka has accused the Congress government of using the hijab issue to placate what he described as discontent among minority voters after the Davanagere by-election.
In a post on X on Wednesday, Ashoka alleged that the state government, instead of addressing issues such as price rise, corruption, farmers’ distress and law and order, was attempting to retain its minority vote base by reviving the hijab issue.
Referring to the 2022 dress code introduced by the BJP government, which prohibited hijab in schools and colleges, Ashoka said the Karnataka High Court had upheld the policy and emphasised the importance of discipline in educational institutions.
He questioned the Congress government’s move to revisit the issue and asked whether setting aside the court-backed policy to benefit one community could be described as secularism.
Ashoka further alleged that while the government was willing to permit hijab, it continued to prohibit saffron shawls.
He accused the government of dividing students on religious lines rather than treating schools and colleges as spaces of equality.
Drawing a comparison with Mamata Banerjee’s government in West Bengal, Ashoka claimed that excessive appeasement politics had harmed the state and warned that the Congress in Karnataka could face a similar political response.
He said voters in Karnataka would teach the Congress a lesson for what he termed “vote-bank politics” and for compromising constitutional and judicial principles.
