"Not Permitted To Speak For A Minute": M Kharge Responds To Veep's Charges

In a letter to Rajya Sabha Chairman Jagdeep Dhankar, the leader, reiterated the Opposition's demand for the Home Minister to make a statement on the recent Parliament breach.

Congress chief and the Leader of Opposition Mallikarjun Kharge on Friday said the suspension of MPs from the Parliament was "painful and frustrating" and detrimental to the "core principles of India's democracy."

In a letter to Rajya Sabha Chairman Jagdeep Dhankar, the leader, reiterated the Opposition's demand for the Home Minister to make a statement on the recent Parliament breach. The Congress chief said the government "will have its way" but the Opposition must have a say. "I have no doubt that you will uphold this basic principle of parliamentary democracy in letter and spirit," he urged.

The Congress leader, was responding to a letter sent by the Vice President in which he said the disruptions by Opposition MPs rendered the House "dysfunctional". Mr Kharge, on the other hand, said the MPs were not permitted to speak for "even a minute or two".