India / Consider new ministers as introduced: PM amid Opp'n interruptions in Parliament

New Delhi: On the first day of Parliament’s monsoon session, as Prime Minister Narendra Modi stood up to introduce the new ministers inducted into the Cabinet after the recent reshuffle, the Opposition began raising slogans on the rising prices of fuel.

The Opposition’s sloganeering continued while speaker Om Birla appealed for silence and to let “customary” introduction of the ministers take place.

The Prime Minister said that instead of a hue and cry, he had expected that the ministers would be honoured with claps. “But it seems that Dalits, women… OBCs of the country becoming ministers does not go down well with many people sitting here in Parliament, and that is why they are not even allowing their introduction...” Modi said, adding that these newly inducted ministers be considered “introduced”.

Following this, Birla continued with his appeals to the Opposition to let the Prime Minister speak, but to no avail. He then requested the PM to put the introductory document on the union ministers and ministers of state on the table.

Meanwhile, Congress deputy leader and MP from Assam’s Kaliabor constituency Gaurav Gogoi said that the Prime Minister prioritised the Cabinet reshuffle over the problems faced by Indians. “The PM believes that his decision to reshuffle the Cabinet is more important than the economic burden he has imposed on the millions of the Indian citizens,” Gogoi said, adding, “The Congress stands with the people of India.”

Defence minister Rajnath Singh said, “Healthy traditions in the House have been set by following conventions. I have been in the house for the last 24 years and have not seen such an incident where the PM could not introduce his council of ministers, even if it is one minister. It is sad, unfortunate and unhealthy.”

However, in 2004, then Prime Minister Manmohan Singh could not introduce the ministers in his Cabinet in the Parliament—the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) protested the inclusion of late Mohammed Taslimuddin, and Lalu Prasad Yadav in the council of ministers.

Congress MP Manickam Tagore also said there was a second incident in 2013 wherein former Prime Minister Singh wasn’t allowed to introduce his ministers in the House. “So, the BJP cannot say that this has never happened before,” said Tagore.

Similar scenes were also witnessed in Rajya Sabha when the Prime Minister tried to introduce the new council of ministers in the House. The new BJP leader of Rajya Sabha Piyush Goyal called it an “unfortunate” situation.