Out of 18 allotted minutes, only 10 mins given to speak: Derek O'Brien

New Delhi, Sep 18 (IANS) Miffed over his speech shortened on the first day of Parliament's Special Session, Trinamool Congress MP Derek O'Brien on Monday said that his party was given 18 minutes to speak but he was stopped abruptly after 10 minutes and the House was adjourned.

“What happened today in this old Parliament building was sad. I was the last speaker today from the opposition. My party was given 18 minutes to speak. Then I was told, I would only get chance to speak for 10 minutes and suddenly in the middle of my speech, unbelievably I was stopped, and the House was adjourned,” O’Brien said.

Meanwhile, while participating in the discussion on the Parliamentary Journey of 75 years, starting from the Samvidhan Sabha - Achievements, Experiences, Memories and Learnings, O'Brien during his speech in the Rajya Sabha said, "Give me back my India where a state does not remain consumed by violence for over five months while the government remains a mute spectator."

"Manipur we are sorry, we couldn’t get the Prime Minister to visit you even in five months," he said referring to the violence in the northeastern state.

He also said that give me back my India where one out three youths are not unemployed, give me back my India where double digit food price inflation does not lead to three out of four people not being able to afford a healthy diet, give me back my India where crimes against women are met with the harshest punishments, where our athletes aren't sexually harassed, where abusive men in power are not shielded.

He also urged that: "Give me back my India where farmers are guaranteed MSP for crops, where farmer suicides are a thing of the past. Where farmers are prioritised over large corporations, give me back my India where the Prime MInister pay condolences when troopers are martyred, not attend party functions."

He also urged the government to: "Give me back my India where people’s hard earned money is not used to cover up frauds and corporate losses, give me back my India where economic offenders who looted the people cannot flee the country with impunity, while citizens face sky high prices of LPG, vegetables, fuel, give me back my India where its institutions are not systematically weakened to make them subservient to the ruling dispensation (EC, ED, CBI)."

The five-day special session of Parliament began on Monday and will continue till September 22.

On Monday, parliamentary journey of 75 Years starting from ‘Samvidhan Sabha: Achievements, Experiences, Memories & Learnings’