Opposition’s only agenda is to hide truth, spread lies: Dharmendra Pradhan

NEW DELHI: The Narendra Modi government, while requesting the opposition on Monday to participate in discussions inside Parliament on all issues, has attacked it alleging that it is hiding the truth and spreading lies.
Education minister Dharmendra Pradhan, in a tweet in Hindi, said the disruption of proceedings by the opposition parties sometimes of Lok Sabha and at other times of the Rajya Sabha by creating ruckus is a well-thought-out common strategy to prevent the “truth from coming out”.
He said the opposition parties know that if discussions take place, the government's reply will come and bills in the interest of the people will be passed, then the veil of their lies will be unmasked.
Pradhan said, “That is why the opposition is running away from discussions in an atmosphere of peace. The people of the country are seeing and understanding the irresponsible, indecent and undemocratic behaviour of the opposition parties. Whether the opposition is united in the House or on the road, their only agenda is to hide the truth and spread lies.”
Information and broadcasting minister Anurag Thakur, while talking to media persons inside Parliament building, requested all the opposition MPs to come inside the House and participate in discussions.
He said, “Whatever topics they have to discuss, the government is ready from day one. What is the compulsion of the opposition that they want to run away from the discussion? In the election year, the opposition is only doing politics.”

Both the Houses of Parliament witnessed disruptions and multiple adjournments over the ethnic violence in Manipur on the eighth consecutive day of its ongoing monsoon session.
Like all previous days, both the Houses witnessed early adjournment for the day.
Rajya Sabha chairperson Jagdeep Dhankhar on Monday said leader of the House Piyush Goyal had accepted a short duration discussion on the Manipur issue under Rule 167. He even fixed 2 pm for the discussion to take place.
However, the opposition MPs stuck to their two demands. They insisted that a long duration discussion, under Rule 267, should be held. Secondly, they demanded that Prime Minister Narendra Modi should open the statement followed by a discussion.
However, the government has not accepted these conditions, leading to a deadlock between the treasury benches and the opposition.
In the Lok Sabha, the opposition-supported no-confidence motion was moved by Congress deputy leader in the House Gaurab Gogoi on July 26, which was admitted by speaker Om Birla. However, he said a time and date for debate on the motion will be decided later.
Meanwhile, the government has introduced several bills and passed six of them till July 29.
The opposition has opposed the passage of the bills. Pointing out that no bills should be passed till the no-confidence motion is disposed of, the opposition has demanded start to the debate.
However, the speaker has declined their objection saying that Rule 198 does not bar taking up of any legislative or other matters of public importance after leave to moving a motion of no-confidence has been granted by the House.
With the speaker yet to announce a date and time for the start of the debate, the stalemate in the Lower House also continues.