New Delhi [India], August 5 (ANI): Congress MP Manickam Tagore on Tuesday accused the Centre of 'systematically blocking' the working of the Parliament since the commencement of the monsoon session.

He said that the government doesn't want the Parliament to function. The opposition wants to hold discussions on the ongoing Special Intensive Revision (SIR) exercise in Bihar, but the government remains afraid, Tagore added.

'We want a discussion in Parliament on the deletion of the voter list, or the electoral reforms, or the electoral process, or the voter inclusion part. We know that the government is afraid of the word SIR being discussed in Parliament, but we are ready to discuss any kind of thing related to voting. The government doesn't want the Parliament to function because it has been systematically blocking the working of the Parliament for the past 12 days. Because of its arrogance, the government is not allowing, and the Parliament is not functioning,' Tagore told ANI.

He further questioned Prime Minister Narendra Modi, asking about his absence from the Parliament and his refusal to respond to the decisions being made by US President Donald Trump.

'We all know that when Trump tweets, Modi keeps silent and he goes on 'maun vrat'. He sends his 12th man to bat. By rules, the 12th man doesn't have the authority to bat, but in Modi's new India, the 12th man - the Foreign Secretary goes to defend Modi. Is this the leadership? We need to understand and ask why Modi is afraid to speak against Trump. Why is he not ready to come to Parliament and make a statement on the Trump tariff and take retaliatory measures? Modi is silent and he has surrendered to Trump's agenda,' Tagore added.

Earlier in the day, Senior Congress leader Jairam Ramesh mocked the claims regarding friendship between Prime Minister Narendra Modi and US President Donald Trump, saying that their bond has proved to be expensive for the country.

He said that several events were organised, including photo ops, to strengthen the claims that Trump and PM Modi were old friends.

'There is a popular song 'Dost dost na raha'. PM must also know the song. 'Dost dost na raha, Trump yaar hamein tera aitbaar na raha'. They conducted 'Howdy Modi' and 'Namaste Trump'. They said 'Abki baar Trump sarkar'. There were photo ops. Our EAM was sitting in the first row during the inauguration of President Trump. Claims were made that the PM shares a special bond with President Trump, that they are old friends,' Ramesh, who is Congress Rajya Sabha MP, told ANI.

These remarks come after a recent social media post from Trump threatening the levying of secondary tariffs on India for buying Russian crude oil became a source of worry.

On Tuesday, Trump said that he will 'substantially' raise tariffs on India given its ongoing purchase of oil from Russia. (ANI)