New Delhi [India], July 31 (ANI): Union Minister Kiren Rijiju on Wednesday criticised the Opposition, particularly the Congress party, over their walkout from the Rajya Sabha during an ongoing debate, stating that the Congress 'orchestrated' the walkout as they were unable to face the response of Union Home Minister Amit Shah.

Speaking to the media, Rijiju said, 'Congress orchestrated the walkout from Rajya Sabha only because they could not face the reply of the Home Minister. Yesterday, the PM demolished the propaganda of the Congress and the Left ecosystem. Today, they (opposition) were unable to face the situation and ran away...all opposition members were given time to speak, but when the Home Minister started speaking, they ran away.

He further accused the Opposition of avoiding accountability and disrespecting parliamentary decorum. 'It proves they have no faith in the system and do not respect the dignity of Parliament,' he added.

Praising the government's response to the Pahalgam terror attack, the Union Minister said that the success of 'Operation Sindoor' had made every Indian proud and that the three-day-long debate in Parliament brought this out clearly.

'The three-day debate on Operation Sindoor has brought out one thing clearly that Operation Sindoor has made every Indian proud. The terrorist attack in Pahalgam was given a befitting reply. The terrorists and their handlers got punished...' Rijiju added.

The walkout came during a heated exchange in the Rajya Sabha between Union Home Minister Amit Shah and Leader of Opposition Mallikarjun Kharge over the absence of Prime Minister Narendra Modi from the House proceedings.

Opposition MPs led by Kharge demanded that the Prime Minister brief the Upper House on Operation Sindoor, as he had done in the Lok Sabha on Tuesday.

Kharge said that PM Modi should have come to the House, as many of the Opposition's questions were directly related to him. 'It was already the demand of the members of this House that, after a 16-hour-long discussion, the Prime Minister should come here and present his views, especially since many of our questions are directly related to him. I am not saying that you (Amit Shah) are not capable of responding, but if the Prime Minister is present and still doesn't come to this House, then it is an insult to the House. It is not right to insult the House,' the Rajya Sabha LoP said.

In response, Deputy Chairman of the Rajya Sabha Harivansh clarified, 'Mr. Kharge, I would like to inform you that I have already explained that any minister from the government side can respond, this is the ruling. You cannot force anyone.'

Reacting to this, Amit Shah said that Mallikarjun Kharge is raising this point, who is not allowed by his own party to speak on important matters. 'Mr. Kharge is raising this issue, even though his own party (Congress) doesn't allow him to speak on important matters,' Shah said.

The Rajya Sabha LoP again stood up and said to the Deputy Chairman, 'You interrupt on every point.' The Opposition MPs then staged a walkout from the House. Targeting them, Amit Shah said that the opposition members simply cannot stand to listen to this debate, as they were unable to stop terrorism for so many years.

'The opposition's demand is not justified because in the Business Advisory Committee meeting, it was decided that the discussion can go on as long as you want, but it is up to the government to decide who will respond,' Shah said.

'I know why they are leaving -- because for so many years, in the name of protecting their vote bank, they did nothing to stop terrorism. They simply cannot stand to listen to this debate,' he added. (ANI)