Question Hour
After row over Parliament's 'Question Hour', govt allows written responses
New Delhi/IBNS: Hours after a huge cry by the Oppositions over the scrapping of 'Question Hour' in the Parliament, the government has said it would allow "unstarred questions" which means written questions can be made that will receive written responses.
This comes after several opposition parties have slammed the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) government at the Centre after the ruling dispensation decided to cancel the "Question Hour" in the upcoming monsoon session of Parliament amid Covid-19.
The Rajya Sabha and Lok Sabha, the upper and lower houses of Parliament, will sit for the monsoon session in separate shifts in the Covid-19 situation while the MPs will have separate sitting arrangements for maintaining social distancing.
Congress Lok Sabha MP from Kerala's Thiruvananthapuram, Shashi Tharoor, has accused the government of using the pandemic to crush the dissent.
Tharoor tweeted, "I said four months ago that strongmen leaders would use the excuse of the pandemic to stifle democracy & 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?"
1/2 I said four months ago that strongmen leaders would use the excuse of the pandemic to stifle democracy&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?
— Shashi Tharoor (@ShashiTharoor) September 2, 2020
Derek O'Brien, the Rajya Sabha MP of one of the largest opposition parties Trinamool Congress (TMC), tweeted, "MPs required to submit Qs for Question Hour in #Parliament 15 days in advance. Session starts 14 Sept. So Q Hour cancelled ? Oppn MPs lose right to Q govt. A first since 1950 ? Parliament overall working hours remain same so why cancel Q Hour?Pandemic excuse to murder democracy." (sic)
MPs required to submit Qs for Question Hour in #Parliament 15 days in advance. Session starts 14 Sept. So Q Hour cancelled ? Oppn MPs lose right to Q govt. A first since 1950 ? Parliament overall working hours remain same so why cancel Q Hour?Pandemic excuse to murder democracy
— Derek O'Brien | ডেরেক ও'ব্রায়েন (@derekobrienmp) September 2, 2020
"During the 33rd (1961), 93rd (1975), 98th (1976) 99th (1977) Sessions there was no Question Hour as these sessions were summoned for SPECIAL PURPOSES: Orissa, Proclamation of Emergency, 44th Amdmt, President’s Rule TN/Nagaland. The upcoming Monsoon Session is a REGULAR SESSION," he added in a separate tweet. (sic)
During the 33rd (1961), 93rd (1975), 98th (1976) 99th (1977) Sessions
— Derek O'Brien | ডেরেক ও'ব্রায়েন (@derekobrienmp) September 2, 2020
there was no Question Hour as these sessions were summoned for
SPECIAL PURPOSES: Orissa, Proclamation of
Emergency, 44th Amdmt, President’s Rule TN/Nagaland. The upcoming Monsoon Session is a REGULAR SESSION
Reportedly, India's Defence Minister Rajnath Singh told opposition leaders that if there was a Question Hour, then the ministers would have to be briefed by their officials which would eventually increase the footfalls in Parliament amid the threat from the contagion.
The monsoon session of Parliament will begin on Sept 14.
The Lok Sabha will sit from 9 am to 1 pm on the first day and from 3 pm to 7 pm on the rest of the days.
The Rajya Sabha will sit from 3 pm to 7 pm on the first day and from 9 am to 1 pm on the rest of the days.
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