The Lok Sabha is all set to discuss the issue of intolerance in the country, after Speaker Sumitra Mahajan accepted a notice moved by MPs P. Karunakaran of the Communist Party of India (Marxist) and K.C. Venugopal of the Congress.
This was confirmed by official sources in the Speaker’s office.
“The notice moved by these two members has been accepted by the honourable Speaker under Rule 193 (a non-voting rule),” said an official to The Hindu .
The official did not clarify how much time would be allotted for the debate, demanded by the Opposition as the Winter Session of Parliament began on Thursday. After two days of a discussion, commemorating the Constitution and its framer Dr. B.R. Ambedkar, in a relatively peaceful manner, this debate is likely to see a fair bit of fireworks.
Earlier, the Business Advisory Committee (BAC) of the Rajya Sabha decided to schedule the debate on intolerance in the Upper House for Wednesday.
CPI(M) leader Sitaram Yechury had sent a notice to the Rajya Sabha chairman, Vice-President Hamid Ansari and the same was accepted.
The Opposition is seeking to corner the government through the debate as several writers and artists have returned their awards in the last few months protesting rising intolerance in public discourse and the death of writer professor M.M. Kalburgi.
The lynching of Mohammad Akhlaque, on suspicion of consuming and storing beef in his home in an Uttar Pradesh village would also be brought up in the debate, as insensitive statements by the ruling party were made following the incident.
