New Delhi, March 6 The government on Friday criticised the opposition for regular disruption of Parliament, asserting that it had agreed to hold a debate on March 11 on the Delhi violence that has so far killed 53.
Minister of State for Parliamentary Affairs Arjun Ram Meghwal said: "Congress has been disrupting the House proceedings since the beginning because they wanted an open debate on the Delhi violence. We have been saying since day one that the government will debate on the issue next week in view of prevailing law and order situation in Delhi, because a debate may affect normalcy which is returning in the city expeditiously."
He added that with March 11 being fixed for the debate, Congress "will not interrupt House proceedings when it reassembles after Holi".
Asked if they do interrupt the House over suspension of its seven MPs, what would be the strategy of the BJP, Meghwal said: "The Speaker will handle the suspension issue but as far as the government is concerned, we don't think the opposition will interrupt a debate on Delhi violence."
Parliamentary Affairs Minister Prahlad Joshi too said: "We hope that the opposition will participate in the debate without interrupting the House as it was their demand to hold the discussion. Now the normalcy has returned to Delhi, we have no issues in participating in it."
Meanwhile, Congress's Gaurav Gogoi who was one among the suspended party MPs hit back at the government saying, "The government is talking about a debate on Delhi violence post Holi. But will the fifty plus families who have lost their near and dear ones be able to celebrate Holi? What will happen to the family of the police jawan who lost his life? They are free to probe us but we will continue to raise this issue."
On being suspended, Gogoi alleged there was discrimination between treatment of Congress and BJP MPs.
( With inputs from IANS )