Union Minister Jitan Ram Manjhi has written to Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla seeking action on a request for adequate speaking time for SC and ST MPs during discussions on important bills in Parliament.
However, when the former Bihar chief minister was asked about the letter by journalists in his Gaya Lok Sabha constituency on Saturday, he said the demand for allotting more time to lawmakers from Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes was "not his personal view".
The Hindustani Awam Morcha founder also said he now felt that such a communication to the Speaker "should have ideally been sent through the parliamentary affairs minister".
Patel raises issue at NDA MPs meeting
In his letter, he said BJP MP Gajendra Singh Patel, who represents Khargone in Madhya Pradesh, had raised the issue during an "NDA MPs Group Dialogue Meeting" held at Manjhi's Delhi residence on August 5.
The minister said Patel had specifically requested that SC/ST MPs be given sufficient opportunity to raise issues concerning their communities on the floor of the House.
Manjhi has requested the Speaker to take further action on Patel's request and issue necessary directions to the authorities concerned.
BJP MP seeks more time for SC/ST issues
Speaking to PTI, Patel confirmed that he has raised the issue and said the time given to SC/ST MPs should be increased further as the time allocated to a political party gets divided among its MPs.
"It is not that we do not get time, but we should get more time. More issues concerning SC/ST communities should be raised," he said.
Patel said the issue was about ensuring that matters concerning SC/ST communities receive adequate space during parliamentary discussions, while acknowledging that MPs from these communities do get speaking opportunities.
Manjhi distances himself from personal view
When journalists asked Manjhi if he, too, felt that MPs from the SCs and STs were not getting adequate time, he flinched, saying, "That is the problem with the media. Why are you putting your words in my mouth. I did not express my personal view."
"I merely tried to convey sentiments of a group of MPs that met me. That has been my style of functioning. I cannot say what others do in such matters. Nonetheless, I now feel that such a letter should have been sent through the parliamentary affairs minister. It would have been an effective channel to seek action on part of the Speaker," the octogenarian politician added.