'Never seen such negative mindset in Parliament': PM Modi slams Opposition for creating ruckus as he introduces new Cabinet

New Delhi, July 20: Prime Minister Narendra Modi slammed the Opposition for creating a ruckus and preventing him from introducing newly-inducted Union Ministers in the Lok Sabha and the Rajya Sabha, saying such a “negative mindset” has never been seen in Parliament.

 

 

While the Prime Minister rose in the Lok Sabha to introduce the new Ministers, Opposition members created an uproar by raising slogans. Dismayed over the disruption, he said, it should make everyone proud that several women, many people belonging to the SC and ST community have taken oath as Ministers. “It seems some people cannot digest that more women, SC, ST and OBC community members are becoming Ministers,” he said and noted that several new Ministers are children of farmers and also belong to OBC communities.

 

 

"It is a matter of pride that people from rural India, who come from ordinary families have taken oath as Ministers. But some people don’t want Ministers to be introduced. They also have an anti-women mindset since they do not want women Ministers to be introduced to the House. Such a negative mindset has never been seen in Parliament," PM Modi said in the Rajya Sabha.

 

 

Union Law Minister Kiren Rijiju, who is an MP from Arunachal Pradesh and the first minister from a tribal community to be sworn in as the minister of Law and Justice, also expressed his displeasure as the opposition parties did not allow Prime Minister Narendra Modi to introduce him as the first Law Minister from a tribal community in the Parliament.

 

 

It is a customary practice that the Prime Minister introduce the newly inducted Union Ministers in the Parliament during the session. The ceremony was supposed to take place on the first day of the Monsoon Session. However, as the Monsoon Session began on Monday, the opposition parties started creating chaos in the parliament over myriad issues, including fuel price hikes and farm laws. They prevented PM Modi from introducing new Union Ministers.

 

Rijiju wrote on Twitter, "But I’m sad. As the first Tribal to be Minister of Law and Justice of the country, I didn’t get the opportunity to be introduced in the Parliament by Hon’ble PM as Congress and allies disrupted the introduction of Council of Ministers in which SC, ST, OBC & Women got a big place."

 

 

Home Minister Amit Shah criticised the opposition for disrupting the session. He said, “Today, the Monsoon Session of Parliament has started. In what seemed like a perfect cue, late last evening, we saw a report which has been amplified by a few sections with only one aim – to do whatever is possible and humiliate India at the world stage, peddle the same old narratives about our nation and derail India’s development trajectory.”

 

 

While accusing the opposition of showing India in poor light, he said, “Just a few days ago, the Council of Ministers was expanded with great emphasis given to women, SC, ST and OBC members. But there are forces unable to digest this.”

 

 

Union Minister Smriti Irani wrote, “Today, the way the opposition has created a stalemate in the journey of the development of the country by blocking the proceedings of the Parliament, it is going to hurt the dignity of the House.”

 

 

Defence Minister Rajnath Singh said, “For the first time in my 24 years of parliamentary life, I have seen that this tradition has been broken. Whatever the Congress party has done today is sad and unfortunate. It is an unhealthy approach towards democratic traditions.”

 

 

Talking about the vaccination programme going on in the country, Mr. Modi said it was moving forward at a fast pace and also urged MPs to cooperate in following all COVID-19 protocols. "Vaccine is given in ‘baahu’ [arms], and those who take it become ‘Baahubali’. The only way to become Baahubali to fight against coronavirus is to get vaccinated," PM Modi said.

 

Over 40 crore people have become ‘baahubali’ in the fight against coronavirus, the Prime Minister said the inoculation programme is being taken forward rapidly. Noting that the pandemic has engulfed the whole world, he said he wants that there should be a meaningful discussion regarding the pandemic on high priority. All practical suggestions given by MPs can usher in newness in the fight against the pandemic, if there are some shortcomings, they can be rectified, and everyone can move forward together in this fight, he added.