Lashing out at the Opposition parties for repeatedly stalling Parliament on the coal blocks allocation, Union HRD Minister M.M. Pallam Raju has said that issues should be discussed and debated in the House lest people “lose faith in the temple of democracy’’.

“We are in a democracy and I think for all issues, whatever matters that the Opposition may have apprehension on, there is a forum and it is called Parliament. I urge and request the Opposition to ensure that Parliament functions where it (the said issue) can be debated,” he said.

Speaking to reporters on the sidelines of a medical university convocation here today, Raju said the Government had “clear conscience”, and was trying its best to give good administration and governance.

“And if the Opposition feels that there is some short-coming that had happened in the past, I think we should ensure the Parliament functions where the issue can be debated... we owe it to the people of India that Parliament runs where healthy debates happen,” he said.

People were getting “frustrated”, over such repeated disruptions and are “losing faith in the concept of democracy”, he said.

2G scam

On the controversy surrounding the JPC draft report on 2G spectrum allocation scam and its Chairman P.C. Chacko, he said the Opposition parties have an apprehension and make accusations that if the Chairman is from ruling party, there would be a “tilt” towards that party.

“But if they do have such apprehensions, they have forums (like Parliament) but disruption of and not allowing it to function is not a solution. That is what the Opposition should realise,” he said.

On BJP’s charge against CBI that it was being misused, Raju insisted that the issue should be raised in Parliament so that there could be scope for improvement but reiterated that stalling the proceedings was not the solution.

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