Question Hour among few tools still left to hold government accountable: Derek O'Brien

Derek O'Brien

The Question Hour is one of the few tools still available to the opposition to hold the government accountable, Trinamool Congress (TMC) leader Derek O'Brien said on Friday.

In a blogpost, the leader of the TMC in the Rajya Sabha also slammed the BJP-led government for not convening a special session of Parliament to discuss the Pahalgam terror attack and events in its aftermath, in accordance with the demand of opposition parties.

O'Brien said the dates for the Monsoon session, which starts on Monday, were announced 45 days ahead of the session, while normally, the schedules for sessions are announced 18 to 20 days in advance.

"The reason for the early announcement of dates for this Monsoon Session, by a skittish NDA government, is simple: Avoid a Special Session of Parliament and delay a discussion in the Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha where hard questions on Pahalgam, Poonch and Rajouri have to be answered," he said.

The TMC leader accused the government of shying away from "allowing even one discussion proposed by the opposition (under any rule) since December 2023".

"A dubious record. What can we look forward to in the upcoming 21-day session?" he questioned.

O'Brien said the government cannot run away from the "21 hours of questions in each House this session" -- referring to the Question Hour.

"A total of 42 hours. Question Hour, for 60 minutes a day, puts Union ministers in the hot seat. They are obliged to reply, either orally on the floor of the House (starred questions), or in writing (unstarred questions). On average, nine questions are answered orally on the floor of Parliament every day, and over 400 questions receive written replies daily," he added.

"With notices for discussions on important subjects not being accepted for the past one-and-a-half years, Question Hour is one of the few tools still available in our parliamentary democracy to hold this government accountable," O'Brien said.