‘Extremely shameful’: BJP as Manmohan Singh, 90, attends Rajya Sabha; Congress hits back

Former prime minister Manmohan Singh came to Parliament in a wheelchair to participate in the crucial Rajya Sabha session.

Where The Government of National Capital Territory of Delhi (Amendment) Bill, 2023 was being discussed.

Thanking the 90-year-old Congress veteran, Aam Aadmi Party MP Raghav Chadha wrote on X (formally Twitter), “Today, in the Rajya Sabha, Dr. Manmohan Singh stood as a beacon of integrity and came especially to vote against the black ordinance. His unwavering commitment to democracy and the constitution is a profound inspiration. My heartfelt gratitude goes out to him for his invaluable support.”

But Singh’s presence in the Upper House of Parliament also triggered a political debate between the Congress and the Bharatiya Janata Party on social media.

Criticising the grand-old party, the BJP wrote in Hindi, “The country will remember, this madness of the Congress! Even in such a critical health condition, Congress kept a former Prime Minister seated in a wheelchair in the Parliament late at night, all just to sustain their dishonest alliance! Extremely shameful!”

Hitting back, Supriya Shrinate, chairperson of Congress social media and digital platforms, said, “This dedication towards democracy of the doctor sahab is a testament to his faith in the Constitution of this country. Even if the BJP has pushed its elders into a mental coma, they remain our inspiration, our courage. Tell your master to learn something – don’t become a deserter.”

Besides Singh, the opposition brought an ailing Sibhu Soren of the Jharkhand Mukti Morcha to the House to shore up its numbers and got the backing of 102 MPs against the bill.

The Delhi services bill secured parliamentary approval after the Rajya Sabha passed the contentious measure that will give the Centre control over bureaucracy in the national capital, with the BJP-led NDA thwarting Opposition challenge in the keenly-watched numbers game. The bill that seeks to replace an ordinance was approved 131-102 during voting as the BJD and the YSR Congress Party backed the government in an exercise that was seen as a first major test for opposition unity after the formation of the 26-party alliance INDIA last month to challenge the BJP in the 2024 Lok Sabha polls.

The Rajya Sabha has a current strength of 238 and there are seven vacancies.