New Delhi, March 21
The parliamentary stalemate was nowhere near a resolution on Tuesday despite separate meetings with government and opposition leaders called by Rajya Sabha Chairman Jagdeep Dhankhar and Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla in attempts to end the seven-day logjam.
Both sides appeared determined on their respective stands—while the government and the ruling BJP persisted on Congress MP Rahul Gandhi’s apology for remarks on Indian democracy made in London, the opposition stuck to the Adani Joint Parliamentary Committee demand.
Leader of Rajya Sabha Piyush Goyal who attended both meetings said some opposition parties (read the Congress) boycotted the Rajya Sabha chairman’s meeting.
The Congress and other opposition parties, however, attended Birla’s meeting where the latter urged both sides to sit and resolve the issue and said “all matters including the Finance Bill can be discussed”.
“Running the House with everyone’s support is our priority,” Birla said.
After the meetings, Goyal said the Congress had been consistently insulting the presiding officers.
“Earlier, AICC communication incharge Jairam Ramesh levelled very serious and irresponsible allegations against the chairman of Rajya Sabha. Then the leader of opposition in Rajya Sabha said he would not come and meet the chairman. They boycotted today’s meeting. The Opposition has brought a lot of ignominy to Parliament,” said Goyal in signs of the opposition-government face-off continuing.
Goyal said the opposition Congress and DMK declined the Speaker’s urge to keep political issues outside Parliament and let the House run.
“Parliamentary Affairs Minister Pralhad Joshi said to the Speaker that the government would honour his urge. But the Congress and DMK declined the request of the Speaker,” Goyal said, accusing the opposition of not allowing the House to run.
“They don’t want to allow the House to run. Perhaps the outstanding budget and its praises worldwide and PM Narendra Modi’s popularity has frustrated the opposition. Today, the world feels PM Modi can find global solutions. We and our allies just formed governments in the northeast. The Opposition attempts to mislead the nation by disrupting the House won’t cut ice. People will again teach them a lesson,” Goyal said.
Earlier today, the entire opposition minus the TMC protested in Parliament corridors in an unprecedented gesture of agitation.
The TMC held its own separate protest with the government accusing the opposition of holding the Houses to ransom.
Outside Parliament, the BJP in a fresh offensive called Rahul Gandhi “the modern-day Mir Jafar of Indian polity”.
BJP spokesperson Sambit Patra said, “Like Jafar sought the help of East India Company because he wanted to become a nawab, Gandhi went to London and urged the so-called protectors of democracy, Europe and the US, to intervene in Indian affairs and make him the leader.”
Congress spokesperson Pawan Khera hit back saying, “The government’s criticism does not amount to India’s criticism.”
The post-recess budget session has remained disrupted since commencement on March 13. Seven sittings have been wasted.
