Amid loud opposition protests against the Special Intensive Review (SIR) that disrupted Parliament for the second consecutive day, the government on Tuesday told both houses that it had invited leaders of various parties for talks to resolve the impasse, but insisted that no firm timetable should be imposed, as reported by PTI.
Here is what Kiren had to say to Rijiju
Speaking in the Lok Sabha, Parliamentary Affairs Minister Kiren Rijiju said the government was willing to discuss any issue and invited leaders from various parties for a dialogue, but argued that the proceedings could not be interrupted because of a single demand.
One issue cannot prevail over others at a time when members of smaller parties also want to discuss matters that are important to them, he said amid slogans by opposition MPs demanding a debate on SIR in the electoral roll of nine states and three union territories.
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“Two to four parties are disrupting the House… In a democracy, people win and lose. They should not vent their anger like this… You are losing people’s trust,” Rijiju said, as reported by PTI.
The minister told the protesting MPs that they should protect the decorum of the House and that there were many MPs from smaller parties who should also be heard.
“Disruption of the proceedings by members of several parties is not right and there should not be anger in the House over the lost election,” the minister said, noting that late BJP leader Atal Bihari Vajpayee had also lost the election.
Meanwhile, the Lok Sabha was adjourned for the day following vociferous protests by opposition members against the SIR.
Rijiju taunted the Congress over its recent electoral losses and said the party was losing people’s trust.
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Making similar remarks in the Rajya Sabha, Rijiju said he would hold talks with leaders from various parties and initiate consultations on the issue, but stressed that they should not impose a timeline on the process.
“…please don’t put a time limit on anything. I will deal with the leaders of various political parties, it may be formal or informal. You will finally know when we start consultations,” he said.
RJD leader Manoj Jha says “the question is the policy and intention of SIR”
RJD MP Manoj Jha said the real issue is the intention of the ongoing SIR. “I want to ask Kiren Rijiju about what happened in the last session. There was a SIR earlier as well. Did it ever make headlines? What is the reason why it has become such a big issue now? The question is about politics and intent. Things that define the roots of democracy, if they don’t want to discuss them, it’s disturbing,” he pointed out.
On the DoT’s directive to pre-install the app on mobile phones, Sanchar Saathi says, “That leaves Pegasus. This decision may not have been made by the Ministry of Telecom. It must have been Joshi Ji’s idea sitting in the ‘bada darbaar’… We have heard about the surveillance status, I think Russia is the only country where we are heading like this?”
Kharge demands an immediate discussion on Mr
Congress President and Leader of the Opposition Mallikarjun Kharge in the Rajya Sabha on Tuesday urged the central government to allow an immediate debate on the SIR of electoral rolls, highlighting concerns over the safety and well-being of booth-level officers (BLOs) across the country.
The second phase of SIR covers Andaman and Nicobar Islands, Chhattisgarh, Goa, Gujarat, Kerala, Lakshadweep, Madhya Pradesh, Puducherry, Rajasthan, Tamil Nadu, Uttar Pradesh and West Bengal after the completion of the first phase in Bihar. The final voter list will be published on February 14, 2026.
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Meanwhile, when the Lok Sabha reconvened at noon on Tuesday, the proceedings were adjourned just nine minutes later to 2 pm due to the opposition’s continued demand for a discussion on SIR.
The 6th session of the 18th Lok Sabha and the 269th session of the Rajya Sabha began on Monday, December 1, marking the beginning of the winter session of Parliament. The session ends on December 19.
(With input from agencies)
