Parliament impasse to end as govt, Oppn reach consensus on Constitution debate

New Delhi: The stalemate in Parliament has been broken with the government on Monday agreeing to the Opposition demand for a two-day discussion on the Constitution in both Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha and allow the raising of issues like the situation in Bangladesh, violence in Sambhal and devastation caused by Cyclone Fengal.

Though the Adani issue does not figure in the government's priority, Congress will not stall the House with some allies insisting that prolonged disruption does not fetch political dividend. Instead, it will stage a protest at the ‘Makar Dwar’ on Tuesday morning on Adani issue after taking I.N.D.I.A partners in confidence at a meeting of floor leaders.

Lok Sabha has functioned for just 67 minutes and Rajya Sabha for 93 minutes, as proceedings were washed out over Adani issue, Manipur and violence in Sambhal so far in the Winter Session, which started on November 25.

The debate on the Constitution will take place in Lok Sabha on December 13 and 14 and in Rajya Sabha on December 16 and 17 in Rajya Sabha. The breaking of the impasse came at a meeting of floor leaders convened by Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla, hours after Congress Deputy Leader Gaurav Gogoi and Public Accounts Committee Chairman KC Venugopal met him to reiterate the I.N.D.I.A bloc's demand.

Sources claimed Congress found itself isolated due to a political manoeuvre by the government, which assured three major Opposition parties to raise their issues in one form or another but refused to accede to a discussion on billionaire industrialist Gautam Adani's indictment in the United States citing that it is an issue that has its roots in a foreign country.

Government sources indicated that the BJP is likely to field some of its key speakers in the debates on the 75th anniversary of the Constitution by focussing on examples of constitutional amendments made during Congress rule. Sources said that Prime Minister Narendra Modi is likely to intervene during the debate, as well as some key ministers. 

“There are over 70 amendments that the Congress has made to the Constitution,” an union minister said.

At the meeting with Birla, sources said, it was agreed that Samajwadi Party would be allowed to raise Sambhal issue, Trinamool Congress to raise Bangladesh situation and DMK to flag devastation caused by Cyclone Fengal in Lok Sabha during the Zero Hour.

Sources in the Lok Sabha Secretariat said that the Speaker told the floor leaders that they should allow the House to run smoothly, and that issues will be taken up on a case to case basis in the Business Advisory Committee. 

Absence of Adani issue in the scheme of things prompted a meeting of Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge and Leader of Opposition in Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi with floor managers to explore ways to keep the issue alive. After a nearly two-hour long meeting, they decided not to disrupt the House and instead raise it outside the House.

Congress sources said the “climbdown” by the government to allow a discussion on the Constitution is a “victory” for them and it would provide them an opportunity to raise all issues, including Adani. Kharge and Rahul had on November 26 written to Birla and Chairman Jagdeep Dhankhar seeking a two-day debate on the Constitution.

Parliamentary Affairs Minister Kiren Rijiju expressed hope that the Parliament would run smoothly from Tuesday as all parties have agreed to allow the proceedings without disruption.  

“In the meeting, we conveyed to the Opposition that all elected representatives come to Parliament for their constituents, and disruptions affect that. Everyone accepted this. Opposition leaders have put a proposal before the Business Advisory Committee to have a discussion on the Constitution, and that has been agreed to,” Rijiju told reporters. 

Congress Rajya Sabha Chief Whip Jairam Ramesh said the Modi government has accepted the requests by Kharge and Rahul after six days. “Hopefully now the Modi government will allow both Houses to function from tomorrow (Tuesday),” Ramesh, who earlier accused the government of not resisting the speedy adjournment of Houses, said.