Law will take its own course: Piyush Goyal on Oppn protests against Sanjay Raut arrest

Piyush Goyal. File Photo

With the Opposition targeting the government in the Rajya Sabha over the arrest of Shiv Sena MP Sanjay Raut, the ruling BJP said Monday the government does not interfere in the work of enforcement agencies and that law will take its own course.

"We are law-makers, not law-breakers," the Leader of the House in Rajya Sabha Piyush Goyal told reporters amid disruption in the House caused by the Opposition's protests over Raut's arrest and other issues.

Parliamentarians are meant to legislate and the agencies assigned to enforce laws are doing their work, he said.

Taking a swipe at Opposition parties, Goyal said they might have interfered in the functioning of law-enforcement agencies when they were in power. This is not the case with BJP governments either at the Centre or in states, he claimed.

Also Read: Special court remands Shiv Sena MP Sanjay Raut to ED custody till Aug 4

The Opposition has accused the government of using the Enforcement Directorate to target its leaders.

Raut was arrested by the ED shortly after Sunday midnight after the agency conducted a search at his residence in a money laundering case related to the redevelopment of a chawl in Mumbai.

Goyal also accused the Opposition of running away from a debate on price rise in the Lok Sabha as well as the Rajya Sabha by taking up new issues after an agreement was reached between it and the government on discussing the issue of inflation in the Lower House on Monday and in the Upper House the next day.

Parliamentary Affairs Minister Pralhad Joshi also criticised the Opposition, asserting the government is ready for a debate on price rise.

The Lok Sabha later started a discussion on price rise after the suspension of four Congress MPs was revoked. Rajya Sabha proceedings also resumed and a bill was passed before the House was adjourned.

The Congress members were suspended last Monday for the rest of the session for protesting and carrying placards inside the House. Speaker Om Birla asked members to stick to rules and not display placards inside the House.

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