Don't Disrupt Parliament Proceedings: Venkaiah Naidu To Opposition

Hyderabad: Union Parliamentary Affairs Minister M Venkaiah Naidu today said the government has "no problem" in discussing Arunachal Pradesh and Rohith Vemula issues in the Budget Session of Parliament and suggested that the Opposition refrain from disrupting the House proceedings.

"We have no problem. Government is ready to discuss any issue," Mr Naidu told PTI, amid indications that the Opposition might aggressively take up the Arunachal Pradesh and Mr Rohith Vemula's suicide in Parliament.

"Neither in Arunachal Pradesh (issue) nor in Hyderabad (Central) University...Government of India is not in the picture anywhere," Mr Naidu said.

As for whether he fears that these two issues would lead to disruption in the Houses by the Opposition parties, the Minister said: "It's for the Congress...(to decide) whether they want democracy to function or they want to disrupt. That's their choice".

Expressing hope that Parliament would be allowed to function and people's issues are taken up, Mr Naidu said: "I only suggest: 'discuss, debate, decide; do not disrupt (proceedings in Parliament.'

He charged Congress vice president Rahul Gandhi, who sat on a hunger strike on Hyderabad Central University today over the January 17 suicide of Dalit research scholar Rohith Vemula, visiting the campus for the second time in as many weeks, with playing "cheap politics on a sensitive human issue".

"Trying to politicise it is nothing but cheap politics. It's a sensitive issue. One must wait for the findings of the Judicial Commission (appointed to look into Rohith Vemula's suicide) to decide about the acts (action against the guilty) or corrections," Mr Naidu said.

He asked as to why Congress leaders, including Mr Rahul Gandhi, have not visited HCU during their period (UPA rule) when 10 students committed suicide on different occasions.

"Why this selective protest? Congress was silent then; trying to be violent now. First let them explain why they were silent then," Mr Naidu said. "By politicising such sensitive issues, we are doing only injustice to the very cause," he said.