'Rajnath Singh asked me to agree on scrapping of Question Hour': Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury

Leader of Congress in Lok Sabha, Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury, reiterated his call against the suspension of Question Hour during the monsoon session of Parliament and claimed he was asked by Defence Minister Rajnath Singh to support the move which he refused.

"Rajnath Singh asked me to agree on scrapping of Question Hour as parliament session is being convened in an extraordinary situation. I told him that the duration of the question hour shouldn't be cut. It is a forum where Opposition can raise important issues and questions on the state of affairs. We demand the reinstatement of Question Hour," Chowdhury told reporters on Wednesday.

He said Congress and other parties had demanded holding either virtual or hybrid sessions of Parliament like other countries have done, many times in the last six months although that didn't happen. The Congress MP expressed displeasure over the long break in parliament session which he said didn't allow important issues to be discussed.

"This long break shouldn't have happened since many issues need to be discussed and questions on different matters to be raised... We are of the position that there should not be any suspension of the Question Hour due to time constrain," Adhir Chowdhury asserted.

The last Parliament session was held in March, just weeks before India entered a nationwide lockdown owing to the Coronavirus outbreak.

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Row over monsoon session norms

Leaders of Opposition parties have opposed the suspension of Question Hour and private members’ bills in the upcoming Monsoon Session of Parliament, alleging it as an attempt by the Modi government to deny opposition MPs an opportunity to raise questions on the state of the economy, the handling of the coronavirus pandemic and ongoing border tensions with China.

The notifications issued by Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha secretariats on Wednesday said that there will be no Question Hour in the upcoming Session, which will be held from September 14 to October 1, in view of the COVID-19 pandemic. Moreover, Zero Hour would be restricted in both Houses.

“There will be no Question Hour during the Session. In view of the request of the Government owing to the prevailing extraordinary situation due to COVID-19, the Speaker has directed that no day be fixed for transaction of Private Members’ Business during the Session,” the Lok Sabha Secretariat said in a notification.

Both Houses will function on Saturdays and Sundays as well, the notifications said. The Session will be held in two shifts — 9 AM to 1 PM and 3 PM to 7 PM. Except for the first day, the Rajya Sabha will sit in the morning shift and the Lok Sabha will sit in the evening, according to the notifications.

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