MP and working national president of the Nationalist Congress Party (Sharadchandra Pawar) Supriya Sule says the government cannot evade accountability by refusing to debate issues in Parliament. She tells TNIE the July 20 police action against protesting students at Jantar Mantar reflected an intelligence failure, a police failure and a political misjudgment. On the Ayodhya temple allegations, she says the issue is painful because it concerns faith and accountability.
Excerpts:
How do you react to the monsoon session of Parliament being washed out over Delhi Police action, ‘Chanda Chori’ in Ayodhya and demand for Home Minister Amit Shah’s resignation?
This is not the first time a Parliament session has been washed out. I have seen it happen earlier, when the BJP was in opposition. When the alleged coal, 2G and Commonwealth Games scams came up, the BJP did not allow the House to function. Sushma Swaraj was the Leader of the Opposition, while leaders like Arun Jaitley in the Rajya Sabha defended the deadlock and washout, saying it was good for a healthy democracy.
But aren’t sessions important to raise issues and fix accountability for lapses?
Right. But running the House is the responsibility of the treasury benches. The Opposition was ready to cooperate, but the treasury benches were not interested. I felt the government was not forthcoming on two issues. We really wanted a discussion on the lathicharge, pellet guns and tear gas used by the police at Jantar Mantar and on Chanda Chori at Ram Temple, Ayodhya. Both were important issues, but the treasury benches were shying away from them. In a democracy, the ruling party can’t get away by citing flimsy grounds. We need to fix responsibility and accountability. After all, we are answerable to the people.
How do you view the government’s handling of the Jantar Mantar protest?
I was asking for the formation of a special investigation team to probe the pellet gun incident. It was a simple and straightforward demand, and the government should have agreed to it.
Why didn’t the home minister, who’s in charge of Delhi Police, act swiftly?
You’ve to ask this question to the BJP. There was a gross intelligence failure that we have to accept. The BJP and the treasury benches keep saying they agreed to a discussion in Parliament over the NEET paper leak. But we didn’t want just a statement; we wanted pointed answers. The treasury benches weren’t ready for that. When thousands and eventually lakhs of children came to Jantar Mantar, why did the government, police force and other high-profile branches not see it coming? Had Dharmendra Pradhan resigned earlier, none of this would have happened.
So, there was a delay and intelligence failure?
Correct. The government did not see this coming. The police failed, and the politicians who control the police also failed. Besides, it was a political misjudgment by the ruling party.
Do you agree with LoP Rahul Gandhi’s demand for Shah’s resignation?
I personally feel that, first, the government has to reply to the nation, not just to Parliament. The students sitting at Jantar Mantar are our children. We cannot leave them at the mercy of a brutal police force.
It was scary because we were in Parliament when the pellet guns were fired. All MPs were inside, and all the doors were locked. Our children were outside while we were inside. It was extremely frustrating and we felt helpless. Just imagine your child is on the road while you are in a secure environment. We tried to leave Parliament, but were locked in.
How do you see the change in the Opposition’s strategy? This time, the BJP appeared to be cornered.
This is not about strategy. This is about the reality of the nation. They have failed us. They have completely failed us even in ‘Chanda Chori’. This is a matter of faith... this is the matter of the Maryada Purushottam Ram temple. How can there be robbery in broad daylight when it is the temple of Maryada Purushottam Ram? If theft starts happening at Ram temple, then who to believe?
The BJP was not serious about this issue?
The BJP has answers to give, but it was not willing to debate. How can the ruling party, which has to be more responsible, run away from it? It is a double-engine government. The Ram temple trust is run by the Government of India, so people who are in power at the Centre are equally responsible. The appointments of the trust’s chairman and members were made by the treasury benches.
Now that the Parliament session is over, how will you take these issues forward?
From Madhya Pradesh to Uttar Pradesh, there are allegations of corruption around temples. In Mumbai, there are allegations concerning Siddhivinayak temple. We want to know the truth. If faith is destroyed like this, what is the future?