Democracy being killed, mocked at in Parliament: Derek O'Brien

On the International Day of Democracy, it is being "killed and mocked" in Parliament's monsoon session, said Trinamool Congress (TMC) MP Derek O'Brien on Tuesday.

Speaking to reporters after attending the second day of the Rajya Sabha session, the TMC leader said he wanted countries around the world to know how democracy was being mocked at in India under the current government.

"Today is International Day for Democracy but what we are seeing in the Parliament is total murder, a mockery of democracy. This is the first time in the history of a regular session that such a thing has happened. The last time it happened was in 1962 during the Chinese invasion. The name of zero hour too should be changed as the time has been limited to 30 minutes. In the next session, probably it will be just two minutes," the TMC leader said.

The TMC MP further said that only one-third of the Bills are going to any parliamentary committee for scrutiny.

"The Opposition is not being given any chance, this is Ordinance Raj. 11 ordinances have come but none have gone to any committee. On the International Democracy Day we want the international countries to know that democracy is being made a mockery of here," he added.

O'Brien also objected to the speech made by Union Health Minister Dr Harsh Vardhan, accusing that he had only congratulated the Prime Minister and no other, including the frontline COVID-19 warriors, or the State governments for combating the pandemic.

"Health Minister today read a 12-page statement and he used the word congratulate once, for the Prime Minister only. What about the doctors and paramedical staff, sweepers, who are fighting with corona. So many of them lost their lives fighting this," he said.

"If Rs 100 is spent on health, 65 is borne by the State, while 35 is given by the Centre. But they did not thank the State governments once," he added.

The TMC MP also said that the Centre had done nothing to control the pandemic and said he would raise these questions tomorrow in the Upper House.

The Rajya Sabha on Tuesday was adjourned till 9 am tomorrow. On the second day of the monsoon session, discussions were held over amendments to the Aircraft Act, 1934, among other important issues in the Upper House.

The monsoon session of Parliament commenced from Monday with several precautionary measures due to the coronavirus pandemic. The session is slated to conclude on October 1.

( With inputs from ANI )