Democracy killed: Oppn on 'No Question Hour'

September 02, 2020 13:15

Opposition parties on Wednesday questioned and criticised the decision of doing away with the question hour in the forthcoming monsoon session of Parliament in view of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Congress leader Shashi Tharoor sought justification of no question hour in the monsoon session. "I said four months ago that strongmen leaders would use the excuse of the pandemic to stifle democracy and 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?" he asked on Twitter.

"Questioning the government is the oxygen of parliamentary democracy. This Govt seeks to reduce Parliament to a notice-board and uses its crushing majority as a rubber-stamp for whatever it wants to pass. The one mechanism to promote accountability has now been done away with," Tharoor said in another tweet.

Criticising the move, TMC MP Derek O'Brien accused that the pandemic is an excuse to murder democracy. "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," O'Brien said in a tweet.

Lending support to the Opposition cause, RJD MP Manoj Jha said, "It is disappointing. No question hour in such a time when coronavirus has taken so many lives, infection is rising, management regarding it is below poor and also there is a situation at the border, is like a death of the soul of democracy. The Zero Hour is reduced to half an hour. Cannot stand by this decision."

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