Parliament Heats Up: Electoral Reforms and Vande Mataram Spark Intense Debate
Image Source: Internet
The Indian Parliament witnessed a stormy session on Tuesday, with both Houses engaging in heated discussions on electoral reforms and the national song Vande Mataram. The debate, which is expected to continue on Wednesday, saw leaders from the National Democratic Alliance (NDA) and the INDIA bloc exchanging barbs over the issue. In the Lok Sabha, Leader of Opposition Rahul Gandhi tore into the NDA, accusing the Bharatiya Janata Party and the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh of capturing India's institutions. He also reiterated his allegations of 'vote theft' and demanded electoral reforms, including machine-readable voter lists and the scrapping of immunity for election commissioners. The Opposition argued that the Election Commission needs to be impartial for election reforms to take place, while the government countered that the special intensive revision of voters' lists is a necessary process to clean up electoral rolls. The debate is expected to continue on Wednesday, with the Lok Sabha set to carry on the discussion on electoral reforms. In the Rajya Sabha, Home Minister Amit Shah took the floor to rebut allegations that the discussion on Vande Mataram was linked with the upcoming West Bengal election. He argued that the song is a symbol of India's freedom struggle and transcended borders. However, Congress chief Mallikarjun Kharge countered that the discussion was an attempt to deflect attention from the country's problems and insult Jawaharlal Nehru and other Congress leaders. The debate on Vande Mataram is also linked to the song's 150th anniversary, with some arguing that it is necessary to discuss the song's significance and importance. The discussion is expected to continue on Wednesday, with the Rajya Sabha set to carry on the debate. The Parliament session, which began on December 1, is expected to continue with intense debates and discussions on various issues. The Lok Sabha will continue its discussion on electoral reforms, while the Rajya Sabha will carry on the debate on Vande Mataram.
