Union Minister Pralhad Joshi slams TMC leader Derek O'Brien for calling parliament 'Gujarat Gymkhana'

Aug 09, 2022

New Delhi [India], August 9 : Amid the ongoing monsoon session and adjournments in parliament, Union Minister Pralhad Joshi on Monday took a jibe at TMC leader Derek O'Brien after the latter accused the centre of turning parliament into a 'Gujarat Gymkhana'.
Joshi also called out the TMC party for its "arrogance".
"TMC leader @derekobrienmp should stop preaching about democratic values and the sanctity of institutions. The people of Bengal have elected BJP as the main opposition but TMC, in its arrogance, has denied BJP the post of PAC Chairman," tweeted Joshi.
His remarks came after the TMC leader alleged that the parliament session was cut short.
"THIS IS THE SEVENTH CONSECUTIVE TIME PARLIAMENT SESSION HAS BEEN CUT SHORT Stop mocking #Parliament We will fight for its sanctity and prevent PM Narendra Modi, Amit Shah
from turning this great institution into the Gujarat Gymkhana," tweeted TMC leader Derek O'Brien.
Raising a cross question Joshi added," Will @derekobrienmp care to address how many days had the West Bengal Assembly functioned? Or is the State functioning as a Mamata Gymkhana?."
Five Bills passed by both Houses of Parliament in the monsoon session of Parliament which concluded on Monday ahead of schedule with the session seeing repeated adjournments on various issues due to opposition protests on a range of issues including price rise.
The Lok Sabha passed seven bills and six legislations were introduced in the House.
Four bills were passed in Rajya Sabha. The government withdrew the Data Protection Bill, 2019 and has decided to come up with comprehensive legislation.
The two Houses were adjourned sine die on Monday, four days before the scheduled end of the session.
In his valedictory remarks, outgoing Rajya Sabha Chairman Venkaiah Naidu said more than 47 Hours were lost due to interruptions, "which is a sad reflection on the functioning of the Upper House of Parliament".
The two Houses had 16 sittings over 22 days since the session commenced on July 18. The session saw the election of a new President and Vice President.
The Lok Sabha met for 44 hours and twenty-nine minutes during the session.
The Lok Sabha passed the Indian Antarctic Bill, 2022, the Family Courts (Amendment) Bill, 2022, the National Anti-Doping Bill, 2021, the Wild Life (Protection) Amendment Bill, 2021, the Central Universities (Amendment) Bill, 2022, the Energy Conservation (Amendment) Bill, 2022 and the New Delhi International Arbitration Centre (Amendment) Bill, 2022
The Rajya Sabha passed the Weapons of Mass Destruction and their Delivery Systems (Prohibition of Unlawful Activities) Amendment Bill, 2022, the Indian Antarctic Bill, 2022, the National Anti-Doping Bill, 2021, the Family Courts (Amendment) Bill, 2022 and the Central Universities (Amendment) Bill, 2022
The opposition forced several adjournments in the House over its demand for an immediate debate on price rise and withdrawal of GST on some items of daily use.
Congress also protested the ED searches in the National Herald case accusing the government of misusing central agencies.