Cong downplays LS episode, says talks with Mulayam to continue

Downplaying the tiff with Samajwadi Party in Lok Sabha over the quota in promotion bill, Congress today indicated that communication channels will remain open with Mulayam Singh Yadav's party on the issue.

"Governance is a constant action and talking and negotiating. We will continue to talk and try to ensure that the bill is (passed) through in Parliament," party spokesperson Renuka Chowdhary told reporters at the AICC briefing.
She also said that "we are sad that this incident has happened".

Chowdhary was responding to questions on whether the Congress-led government will introduce the bill tomorrow in Lok Sabha without talking to SP. Earlier in the day, a Samajwadi Party member snatched the copy of quota in promotion bill from Union Minister V Narayansamy in Lok Sabha. Congress President Sonia Gandhi along with some party members tried to stop SP member from Nagina Yashvir Singh near the Well of the House.

Samajwadi Party supremo Mulayam Singh Yadav, accompanied by his party members including Yashvir Singh, told reporters outside Parliament that Congress has insulted his party MP. Downplaying the scuffle, Chowdhary said it is not the first time that such an incident has happened and people have different ways to express their stand on an issue or dissent to something.

"We are not headmasters...we cannot control or moderate anyone in that sense...it is for the parties concerned to decide to adopt what democratic process they decide," she said while expressing disapproval with "anything that disrupts the democratic process".

To a question on whether Congress has decided to opt for 'forgive and forget policy' with Samajwadi Party, Chowdhary said "we have to continue with the business of governance..its not about forgive and forget". The Congress spokesperson also refused to go into questions on whether the government can push the Bill by forcing SP members out of the House, saying running the House is the responsibility of the Speaker.

"We are not here to guide or misguide the Chair. It is for the Chair to decide. We don't run the House," Chowdhary said.