TMC Rajya Sabha member Derek O’Brien on Friday gave a speech, not in the House, but from a corridor of the Parliament building, in protest against, what he called, the government’s reluctance to discuss the Delhi violence.
The opposition has been demanding the Delhi violence issue to be discussed in the Parliament, but the issue has now been scheduled for discussion after Holi.
“A FIRST! As the government keeps running away from a discussion on #DelhiGenocide and healing in LS & RS, #Trinamool decided to make its speech from the corridors #InsideParliament,” O’Brien tweeted along with a 10-minute video.
A FIRST!
As the government keeps running away from a discussion on #DelhiGenocide and healing in LS & RS, #Trinamool decided to make its speech from the corridors #InsideParliament
WATCH >> https://t.co/On04I0nacC
— Citizen Derek | নাগরিক ডেরেক (@derekobrienmp) March 6, 2020
Watch here:
He also said that opposition parties have given notices five days in a row to discuss the issue, but these have not been accepted.
“I have been ready with the speech on behalf of the TMC. Mr Chairman sir what can I do, the government is stalling Parliament. Today on Friday, I need to make my speech and I am making it not in the chamber downstairs but on the first floor. We have to look at different ways to have our voices heard. So here I am,” he said.
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Speaking further on Delhi violence in which 53 people have lost their lives, O’Brien said despite all these, the government was unwilling to discuss the issue.
“The home minister hasn’t visited affected areas…The violence started from inciting slogans. We all know the people who did it. What gives them the guts to utter these slogans? It is the prime minister, the home minister. It is almost as if they have sanctioned these slogans. These slogans spread bigotry and hate.
Comparing the Delhi violence with the genocide in Nazi Germany, O’ Brien said, “Genocide is a process, even at Nazi time it didn’t start with gas chambers. It started with slogans spreading hate and bigotry. Then genocide happened.”
(With inputs from agency)