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Today Date : Friday, October 04, 2024

Struggle for transparency and voice in the Indian Parliament

Struggle for transparency and voice in the Indian Parliament

In the 18th Lok Sabha session last Wednesday, MP Thirumavalavan’s microphone was turned off while he raised questions about the relocation of statues, including that of Mahatma Gandhi's, within the parliamentary complex. Despite this, Thirumavalavan continued to speak, and members of the INDIA alliance voiced strong protests.
Yesterday, the opposition leader faced a similar issue when his microphone was disconnected while he spoke about the NEET scam, emphasizing the need for the government and opposition to address this critical matter respectfully for the students. Opposition members protested the cutting of Rahul's microphone.
In response to these incidents, Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla clarified that he does not control the microphones and no such facility exists. He also mentioned that discussions should focus on the President’s address and other matters would not be recorded in the house.
This situation raises the question: if the Speaker does not control the microphones, who does? On Thursday night, the INDIA alliance attempted to submit a motion to discuss the NEET exam irregularities on the Lok Sabha website, but found the option disabled. They accused the website of being deliberately shut down to prevent the motion’s submission. Despite this, MPs submitted handwritten motions to the Lok Sabha Secretariat.
If this issue was due to a technical glitch, it raises concerns about the state of Digital India. Answers to these questions are necessary for the public, and it is the responsibility of Parliamentary Affairs Minister Kiren Rijiju to provide an explanation.