Congress insists Amit Shah's statement is key to ending the Monsoon Session impasse
New Delhi: The government's attempt to break the Parliament deadlock hit a roadblock on Wednesday after Leader of the Opposition Rahul Gandhi rejected Union parliamentary affairs minister Kiren Rijiju's outreach, insisting that normal business could not resume until Union home minister Amit Shah made a statement on the alleged police excesses against students and a discussion was held on the alleged theft of donations at the Ayodhya Ram temple.
The nearly 50-minute meeting between Rijiju and Gandhi, the second in the past 10 days, failed to end the impasse. Congress leaders Priyanka Gandhi Vadra, Gaurav Gogoi and K.C. Venugopal also participated in the discussions.
According to sources, Rijiju sought the Opposition's cooperation to ensure the smooth functioning of Parliament during the remainder of the Monsoon Session, which ends on August 13. He also discussed the proposed Delimitation Bill, the possibility of reintroducing the Women's Reservation Bill and other pending legislation.
However, Gandhi reiterated that the Opposition's position remained unchanged. He told the minister that Parliament could not function unless Shah responded to the alleged police action against students protesting over the NEET paper leak and the House discussed the alleged misappropriation of donations at the Ram temple in Ayodhya.
Amid speculation that the Centre was considering a special session of Parliament after the Monsoon Session, Rijiju dismissed the reports.
"There is no proposal to extend the current Parliament session and no proposal to convene a special session," he said.
The government is, however, expected to continue consultations with Opposition parties on key Bills, and there are indications that Rijiju may hold another round of discussions with Opposition leaders on Thursday.
Sources said the meeting focused primarily on gauging the Opposition's stand on the Delimitation Bill and exploring the possibility of building consensus before the government proceeds with the legislation. Rijiju did not raise the issue of extending the Monsoon Session or convening a special session during the interaction, they added.
The Centre is also expected to consult other Opposition leaders, including Samajwadi Party president Akhilesh Yadav, as it seeks wider political support for the constitutional amendment required for delimitation. A previous attempt to move the legislation during the Budget Session failed to secure the required two-thirds majority.
Speaking after the meeting, Congress general secretary K.C. Venugopal dismissed speculation over a special session and accused the government of creating confusion over the proposed delimitation exercise.
"We don't know anything about a special session. Today Kiren Rijiju met us to discuss delimitation and ascertain the Opposition's stand. Our stand remains unchanged. The Parliamentary Affairs Minister is trying to create confusion," he said.
Warning the government over the proposed Foreign Contribution (Regulation) Amendment Bill, Venugopal added, "Let them bring the FCRA Bill, and then we will show them our attitude."
The political stalemate continued to disrupt proceedings in the Lok Sabha, with Opposition members raising slogans and displaying placards soon after the House assembled. Despite repeated appeals by Speaker Om Birla to allow Question Hour to function, the disruptions continued, forcing the House to adjourn first till 2 p.m. and later for the day.
"Sloganeering, whether inside or outside the House, is not good for democracy. By displaying placards and raising slogans, you are lowering the dignity of the House," Birla said.
The Monsoon Session has witnessed repeated disruptions since July 20 over the alleged NEET paper leak, the alleged theft of donations at the Ayodhya Ram temple and the alleged police action against students. The Opposition has also demanded statements from Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Shah.
Since the session began, the Lok Sabha has failed to complete a single Question Hour, while several Bills have been passed amid disruptions without detailed debate.
The BJP blamed the Congress for the continuing stalemate. BJP spokesperson Gaurav Bhatia alleged that Rahul Gandhi was deliberately obstructing Parliament because he feared comparisons between the Modi government and the UPA government.
