Union Parliamentary Affairs Minister Kiren Rijiju on Monday slammed the Opposition for wasting Parliament’s time and said that important Bills would be passed in both Houses on the same day.

Addressing a press conference in the national capital, Rijiju said, "The Congress party and the Opposition have wasted a lot of time. Now we will not let the country’s time and the parliament’s time get wasted any more. The government wants to pass important bills. Today, we will pass important Bills in both Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha."

He said that some Opposition MPs told him they were forced by their leaders to create a disruption and could not refuse.

"The country cannot bear so much loss because of one man’s foolishness and one family. Many Opposition MPs also came and said that they are helpless. Their leaders forcefully ask them to create a ruckus. Every day, we will not allow the country’s time and the parliament’s time to be wasted on one issue. Therefore, we will pass important bills," he said.

Rijiju made what he called the last appeal to the Opposition to participate in the discussion on the Bills.

"We make our last appeal to the Opposition. We will pass the bill. You should participate in the discussion. Then don’t spread lies that you were not allowed to speak or that the mics were muted. We want everyone to participate in the discussion on important Bills."

Taking a dig at the INDIA bloc over their protest march to the Election Commission office, he said the poll body had invited 30 leaders for a meeting, but the Opposition could not finalise the names.

"Even today, they (Opposition) asked for time to go to the Election Commission, and the Election Commission told the INDI alliance to send two members from each party. Thirty members were called, but they did not go. In the INDI alliance, they could not decide those 30 people," he said.

"Now, Kharge ji is saying that all the opposition members are VIPs, so will 150 people enter the Election Commissioner’s room? The INDI alliance do not trust the Supreme Court, they do not trust the Election Commission, they do not trust the Parliament. They attack all the constitutional institutions of our country," Rijiju added.

After the Union Minister’s press conference, the Budget for Manipur for 2025-26 was presented in the Rajya Sabha, while the Lok Sabha took up the Income Tax Bill for discussion.

Earlier in the day, Leader of Opposition in Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi, Congress MP Priyanka Gandhi, and other INDIA bloc MPs were detained by Delhi Police during their protest march to the Election Commission office.

Shiv Sena (UBT) MP Sanjay Raut and TMC MP Sagarika Ghose were also among those detained.

The detained MPs were taken in a bus to the Parliament Street police station.

Rahul Gandhi said that the Opposition’s fight was not political but a fight to protect the Constitution.

"The reality is that they cannot talk. The truth is in front of the country. This fight is not political. This fight is to save the Constitution. This fight is for One Man, One Vote. We want a clean, pure voters list," the Congress leader said.