Neelu Ranjan, Jagran, New Delhi: Even after Union Home Minister Amit Shah agreed to address the police action against protesters during the July 20 “Chalo Sansad” demonstration at Jantar Mantar, the deadlock in Parliament remains unbroken.
The Congress, which had been insisting on Shah addressing the House on the matter, is now demanding a discussion on the alleged theft of donations at the Ram Temple in Ayodhya.
In light of the opposition’s shifting goalposts, the government has begun making a new strategy for the remaining three days of the monsoon session, as well as for key bills, including the Foreign Contribution Regulation Act (FCRA) Amendment Bill and the Constitution Amendment Bill regarding women’s reservation and delimitation.
Government Begins To Formulate New Strategy As Deadlock Persists
In a bid to break the deadlock, Shah held a meeting with Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla, alongside Parliamentary Affairs Minister Kiren Rijiju and Commerce Minister Piyush Goyal. Following three weeks of continuous uproar during the monsoon session, the government has taken active steps to ensure Parliament functions smoothly over its remaining days.
However, after failing to break the impasse on the Foreign Contribution Regulation Act (FCRA) Amendment Bill as well as the women’s reservation and delimitation bills, despite discussions with Leader of the Opposition in Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi, the government excluded the two bills from the Lok Sabha’s Business Advisory Committee agenda.
Meanwhile, according to sources cited by Jagran.com, support for the delimitation process has reached 366 votes, surpassing the required 360-mark. However, a final decision on introducing the bill has yet to be made.
Deadlock Continues As Oppn Demands Discussion On Ram Temple Donation Theft
Rijiju on Monday said that the government has agreed to a detailed discussion on student protests across the country, with Union Home Minister Amit Shah ready to address all aspects, including police action during the Cockroach Janta Party’s “Sansad Chalo” march on July 20. Challenging opposition members to participate, Rijiju stated, “There’s no need to be afraid or run away when the Home Minister responds. We’ll have to listen fully.”
However, Deputy Leader of the Opposition Gaurav Gogoi, representing the Congress party, remained firm in demanding an immediate debate on the alleged theft of donations at the Ram Temple in Ayodhya instead.
Rijiju countered that the issue of alleged theft was originally raised by the Samajwadi Party (SP), emphasising that the government is fulfilling Congress’s demand for Shah to speak on police brutality. In response, Gogoi accused the ruling party of attempting to create a rift between the Congress and the SP, insisting on prioritising the debate over the Ram Temple offering theft.
What’s Behind The Deadlock?
The real reason behind the deadlock is an ongoing political checkmate between the government and the Congress party over the Constitution Amendment Bill on women’s reservation and delimitation. According to high-ranking Congress sources, the Lok Sabha Speaker held a meeting with Priyanka Gandhi and KC Venugopal, proposing to refer the FCRA Amendment Bill to a Parliamentary Standing Committee or a Joint Parliamentary Committee (JPC). However, Congress rejected the offer, demanding the full amendment bill instead.
Government Claims Required Support For Delimitation Bill
A high-ranking government source claimed to have secured the support of 366 Lok Sabha MPs for the delimitation bill, while the support of 360 MPs is needed for a two-thirds majority out of the current 540 MPs.
However, that count could drop below the necessary two-thirds mark if some MPs are absent during voting. Meanwhile, the opposition fears that while the government may not be speaking openly, Shah’s statement is intended to break the deadlock and allow the government to pass the delimitation bill.
On the other hand, in light of the opposition’s shifting goalposts, the government has begun formulating a new strategy. To this end, it is keeping all options open, ranging from passing the bill in the remaining three days to extending the current session or convening a special session.