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Congress plan to corner government on Uttarakhand. Arunachal fizzle out

The Congress wanted to make the discussion big to corner the Modi government but exhausted after spending a grueling session on Wednesday on constitutional amendment bill on GST, the presence in house was rather thin and MPs across party lines, besides some die hard and spirited Congressmen, were in no mood for an exhaustive debate.

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Hoping to garner support from fellow opposition parties on the alleged “misuse” of article 356 in Uttarakhand and Arunachal Pradesh by the Modi government, the Congress was virtually left alone when most opposition parties did not support its demand for a reply by Prime Minister Narendra Modi or at least from home minister Rajnath Singh.

The Congress wanted to make the discussion big to corner the Modi government but exhausted after spending a grueling session on Wednesday on constitutional amendment bill on GST, the presence in house was rather thin and MPs across party lines, besides some die hard and spirited Congressmen, were in no mood for an exhaustive debate.  

When minister of state for home, Kiren Rijiju rose to reply at the end of the short duration discussion on "the developments in Uttarakhand and Arunachal Pradesh leading to change in governments there and the role of governors, the Congress members protested vehemently arguing that the minister does not qualify to speak as he is an MP from Arunachal and there are allegations against him for playing key role in the debacle of Congress government.   

After leader of the opposition Ghulam Nabi Azad and Anand Sharma took a principled position citing rules, deputy chairman P J Kurien chose to take the sense of the house and asked one after the other parties about their view. When none of the four opposition parties whose members were present in the house supported Congress and concluded that they were okay with Rijiju, Kurien, amid strong protest by Congress, gave ruling allowing Rijjiju to respond and conclude the discussion.

After a hectic discussion among themselves, Congress members trooped into the well shouting slogans against the BJP government and PM Modi.  Despite most of his speech going unheard because of the din, MoS for Home Rijiju continued to speak and lambast Congress for being responsible for promulgating Article 356 a record number of 100 times.   

During the debate, Congress members tried to name and shame the Modi government for 

alleged “trampling” of democracy and pressed for a statement by Prime Minister Narendra Modi on the issue, since he talks of “cooperative federalism”.  

What happened in the two states was a “brazen violation of Constitution” and “insult to democracy”, said Deputy Leader of Congress Anand Sharma while initiating the debate.

Questioning the role of Governors, the former minister said he or she is “not supposed to interfere in day-to-day functioning…take unilateral decisions… Constitution was not respected…It is insult to peoples mandate.”

“What happened was shameful. The government conduct was outrageous… Prime Minister Narendra Modi speaks of constitutional federalism…At the same time ruling party president talks of Congress-mukt Bharat…that is the official position of the ruling party and its national executive…this is insult to democracy and misuse of authority to destabilise elected governments,” Sharma said.

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