"Totally undemocratic, unconventional": Congress' KC Venugopal criticises PM Modi's Parliament address

New Delhi [India], March 18 (ANI): Launching a scathing attack on the union government and Prime Minister Narendra Modi's address in Parliament on Mahakumbh, Congress leader KC Venugopal said on Tuesday that the Opposition has been demanding a discussion on the Mahakumbh but its demands were ignored.
Venugopal further alleged that the union government stepped away from democratic traditions and usual conventions of the house by not allowing the Opposition to contribute to the Kumbh discussion.
"Prime Minister can give a statement anytime, but there is a procedure, a convention that it should inform. Without informing the House, he suddenly came in and gave a statement on Kumbh, what is the secrecy behind it? But still PM has given a statement, Opposition wants to contribute little bit, that is the tradition. Just like the Leader of the House, Leader of Opposition also has privileges," Venugopal told ANI at the Parliament premises.
"This is totally undemocratic and totally unconventional. Leader of Opposition wanted to speak, wanted to have intervention for two minutes, that also not allowed. Is this democracy? I don't know why they are coming with all this agenda. They don't want to have the house run smoothly," he said.
Highlighting that the Opposition parties have been demanding a discussion on Maha Kumbh "since day one," to discuss the positives negatives of the congregation alike, Venugopal added,
"When the budget session started, from day 1 onwards we are asking for a discussion on Kumbh, because we are also interested to discuss it and talk about good things, appreciating them and whatever tragedy happened, to highlight that also but they have not given a chance to discuss it also. Government totally ignored our demands."
Congress MP Priyanka Gandhi also expressed that the Opposition should be allowed to lay down their views on Kumbh.
"He was speaking optimistically on the Maha Kumbh... The Opposition also should have been given a chance to present their point because the Opposition also has sentiments towards it (Maha Kumbh) and they should not have any problem if we expressed ourselves... The Opposition should have also been allowed to speak for two minutes," Priyanka Gandhi told reporters.
Earlier today, Prime Minister Narendra Modi commended the successful organisation of the MahaKumbh in Prayagraj, attributing its success to the dedication of the public, administration, and devotees across the country and highlighted the collective efforts that contributed to the grand event.
Speaking in the Lok Sabha, PM Modi expressed deep gratitude towards the people of Uttar Pradesh and Prayagraj for their efforts in hosting the event, calling the Maha Kumbh a symbol of India's growing national consciousness.
"I am here to make a statement on the MahaKumbh held in Prayagraj. I want to thank the public and administration for the successful organisation of the MahaKumbh. The success of the MahaKumbh is the result of the efforts of various people," PM Modi said in Parliament.
"I want to thank everyone: the country's devotees, the public of UP, especially the people of Prayagraj. We all know that strenuous efforts took place to bring Ganga to earth; similar efforts have been taken to hold the grand Mahakumbh," the PM added.
He emphasized that the event was not just a spiritual gathering but a powerful demonstration of the nation's potential and resolve.
The MahaKumbh 2025 concluded on the auspicious occasion of Maha Shivratri on February 26, in which more than 66 crore 21 lakh devotees attended the festival to bathe in the holy Triveni. (ANI)