With both the BJP and the opposition sticking to their demands, an early resolution to the deadlock in Parliament appears improbable, as the two Houses reconvene on Thursday in the second week of the budget session following a day’s break. The Rajya Sabha Chairman has scheduled another meeting of floor leaders for 10 a.m. on Thursday as part of efforts to break the impasse. According to Congress leader Jairam Ramesh, if the government is serious about allowing Parliament to operate, party leader Rahul Gandhi should be permitted to react to the BJP’s claims against him.
With the BJP demanding an apology from Rahul Gandhi for his statements in the United Kingdom, Congress MP Manickam Tagore wrote to Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla on Wednesday, requesting action against Union Defence Minister Rajnath Singh for allegedly defamatory remarks regarding the former party head.
“On March 13, when the Parliament was called into session and the members were assembled in the House, Rajnath Singh addressed the Lok Sabha and without offering any advance notice, made defamatory statements against Rahul Gandhi who is a Member of Parliament,” Tagore said in his letter to Birla.
“Rajnath Singh has clearly violated Rule 352 (ii) and Rule 353 of the LS Rules and the matter has to be taken up for action against him on priority,” he added.
The Congress leader further stated that, while making defamatory and unprofessional allegations, Rajnath Singh has not cited any source from where he obtained the information, nor has he offered any documentary or similar proof to substantiate his charges against Rahul Gandhi.
“Such blatant character assassination of Rahul Gandhi is not only being allowed but encouraged since Rahul Gandhi has not been given any opportunity to defend himself or refute the allegations raised against him,” he added.
Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury, a Congress Lok Sabha Member, had previously on March 13 urged that Government ministers Rajnath Singh and Pralhad Joshi withdraw their statements against Rahul Gandhi. Rahul Gandhi, on his side, has written to the Speaker, requesting permission to appear in the House in response to the Bharatiya Janata Party’s claims.
“I had written to you on March 17 seeking your permission to respond to totally baseless and unfair charges hurled at me by senior ministers in the Lok Sabha. I am making such a request again. I am seeking this permission under the conventions of Parliamentary practice, the constitutionally embedded rules of natural justice and Rule 357 of the Rules and Procedure and Conduct of Business in Lok Sabha,” Gandhi said in his letter to the Speaker.
On Wednesday, the Congress hinted that allowing Rahul Gandhi to reply to BJP claims might be one approach to break the parliamentary deadlock. Nonetheless, the party stated that there will be no compromise on the demand of various opposition parties for JPC on the Hindenburg-Adani dispute.
According to Jairam Ramesh, negotiations can begin if Rahul Gandhi is permitted to appear in Lok Sabha and address “baseless charges” levelled against him by ministers. He did, however, state that the party will not back down from its demand for JPC. According to Jairam Ramesh, the BJP made false charges against Rahul Gandhi in order to deflect attention away from the JPC demand.
“Their strategy is 3D — distort, defame and divert. They distorted Rahul Gandhi’s remarks, defamed him and now want to divert attention from the Adani issue,” he said.
He stated that efforts were being made to establish a middle ground, and that the opposition parties will not back down from their demand for a JPC on the Adani issue. When asked about a request by a Trinamool Congress representative that state governments launch a probe into the Adani case, Ramesh said it was ridiculous and that the goal of such suggestions may be to give the government a clean chit.
He stated that the Prime Minister is responsible for the Adani issue and that state governments cannot investigate it. Rajya Sabha Chairman Jagdeep Dhankhar convened a meeting of floor leaders from various political parties in Rajya Sabha twice on Monday in a bid to break the House’s impasse on problems highlighted by both the government and opposition parties.
Around 11.30 a.m., leaders from the BJP, YSRCP, BJD, and TDP convened for the first time. Floor Leaders from other parties, however, did not attend. Apart from the BJP, leaders of various opposition parties attended the second conference.
As part of additional consultations, the Chairman has organised a meeting of floor leaders for 10 a.m. on March 23. On Tuesday, BJP spokesperson Sambit Patra attempted to equate Rahul Gandhi to Mir Jafar, who deserted Siraj-ud-Daulah in the Battle of Plassey and aided the East India Company.
Gandhi, according to Patra, will have to apologise for his words in the United Kingdom.
Since the commencement of the second portion of the budget session on March 13, the parliament has been plagued with interruptions, with the BJP seeking an apology from Rahul Gandhi and opposition parties requesting a joint parliamentary committee look into the Adani problem. Due to the festivals of Ugadi, Gudi Padava, Chaitra Sukladi, Cheti Chand, Navreh, and Sajibu Cheiraoba, the two Houses did not convene on Wednesday.
