Govt, Oppn end Parliamentary impasse, agree to hold discussions on Constitution

NEW DELHI: After a week of disruption and chaotic scenes in both the Lok Sabha and the Rajya Sabha, the government and Opposition parties on Monday reached an agreement to break the impasse in Parliament and agreed to hold discussions on the Constitution.

The Lok Sabha will take up the discussion on the Constitution to mark its 75th year of adoption on December 13 and 14, and the Raja Sabha on December 16 and 17.

Parliamentary Affairs Minister Kiren Rijiju, who announced the dates, expressed confidence that both Houses will function smoothly from Tuesday.

The breakthrough came at a meeting of Speaker Om Birla with floor leaders of different parties. The Opposition parties had demanded discussions in both Houses of Parliament to mark the 75th anniversary of the adoption of the Constitution by the Constituent Assembly.

“It is not good to disrupt parliamentary proceedings. We appeal to all Opposition leaders to make good on the agreement that all of us will ensure parliament functions smoothly from tomorrow,” Rijiju said.

The first session of parliament’s winter session began on November 25, with both houses getting adjourned fairly early due to disruptions. The session will go on till December 20.

The ruling BJP has been fending off Opposition attacks that Modi 3.0 would tinker with the Constitution. Union Home Minister and BJP leader Amit Shah has more than once dismissed the Opposition’s claims that the BJP would amend the Constitution if it got a singular majority again in the Lok Sabha.

Asked about the Opposition raising other issues such as Sambhal violence and Manipur, Rijiju said a decision will be taken in accordance with the rules.

The Congress has been persistent in raising the issue of the indictment of US prosecutors of Adani Group chairperson Gautam Adani and other company officials on bribery and fraud charges. This coupled with vociferous Opposition protests over matters such as the Sambhal violence and Manipur unrest have resulted in constant adjournments of the Lok Sabha and the Rajya Sabha since the Winter Session began on November 25.

However, some other Opposition parties, especially the TMC, have not attached the same priority to the Adani row and want Parliament to discuss a host of different issues, including unemployment, prise rise and the Centre’s alleged discrimination against Opposition-ruled states in fund allocation.

The TMC has skipped Opposition meetings to formulate the INDIA bloc’s joint strategy during the Session. A TMC source said his party cannot be there just to stamp its approval on the Congress’ agenda.

The Congress and many of its allies have also been vocal in targeting the ruling BJP for its alleged attack on the Constitution under the government headed by Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

The BJP, on the other hand, has projected the main Opposition party as the principal violator of constitutional norms and spirit when it was in power, asserting that the Modi government has strengthened constitutional practices and principles during its over 10-year tenure.

Proceedings in both Houses were adjourned for yet another day on Monday amid protests by Opposition members over the Adani indictment row, recent violence in Uttar Pradesh’s Sambhal and other issues.with agency inputs