Source : INDIA TODAY NEWS
Union Parliamentary Affairs Minister Kiren Rijiju has named Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav as the most reasonable Opposition leader in Parliament during an interview with India Today TV.
Asked whom he considers the most reasonable Opposition leader to deal with in Parliament, Rijiju named Yadav while discussing his efforts to maintain dialogue with Opposition parties amid repeated disruptions in the House.
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Rijiju said he has made it a point to reach out to leaders across the Opposition and engage with them personally, including through informal conversations.
“I have reached out to everybody,” Rijiju said.
He said such conversations can be different from the stand Opposition parties eventually adopt on the floor of Parliament.
“But then when they have taken a stand, then they stick to that,” he said.
Rijiju’s comments come against the backdrop of a bitter political confrontation between the government and the Opposition during the Monsoon Session, which was repeatedly disrupted.
The minister has accused the Congress and other Opposition parties of deciding in advance that they would not allow Parliament to function. He said he had personally spoken to Congress leaders Rahul Gandhi and Priyanka Gandhi Vadra in an attempt to break the deadlock.
“I had a long discussion with Rahul Gandhi ji. Even Priyanka Gandhi was also sitting there when I had a discussion with Rahul ji,” Rijiju said.
He said Gandhi had taken a firm position on the demand for a statement and the resignation of Home Minister Amit Shah.
“He had taken a stand that he will not compromise on certain things, and especially on Home Minister,” Rijiju said.
Rijiju contrasted this with his interactions with other Opposition leaders, including Yadav, whom he described as the most reasonable leader when asked to identify one.
The minister’s remarks are notable because Yadav’s Samajwadi Party has been among the Opposition parties frequently challenging the government on issues ranging from electoral politics to the functioning of Parliament.
Rijiju, however, said personal communication between political leaders remains important despite their disagreements.
He also criticised the Opposition’s conduct inside the House, particularly the use of slogans and abusive language against Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
“If you have guts to oppose Prime Minister, speak with content,” Rijiju said.
– Ends
SOURCE :- TIMES OF INDIA
