LS Speaker meets floor leaders to end logjam

NEW DELHI,

AMID continued logjam in Lok Sabha over a debate on Manipur violence, Speaker Om Birla on Tuesday convened an all-party meeting of floor leaders, in a bid to end the impasse but the Government and Opposition stuck to their respective stands. Opposition floor leaders insisted on a statement by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Minister of State for Parliamentary Affairs Arjun Ram Meghwal told reporters after the meeting. Parliamentary Affairs Minister Pralhad Joshi said Opposition party leaders were told that the Government is ready for discussion on Manipur and can be held any day the Speaker decides.

“There are several important bills and we do not want them to be passed without discussion. We want constructive discussion. We urged them with folded hands to participate in the discussion,” he told reporters. “We are ready to participate in discussion on Manipur on any day the Speaker decides, even tomorrow if the Speaker decides so. Our Home Minister will give a detailed reply to the discussion,” he added. Leaders of both the Opposition side and the treasury benches put across their points at the meeting. Meghwal said the Opposition leaders then said they will discuss the matter with their senior leader and convey their stand on the issue soon. “We are trying to end the deadlock but Opposition parties are coming up with a new demand,” Meghwal claimed. “Earlier they were demanding a discussion on Manipur. When we said we are ready for discussion, they demanded that the Prime Minister start the discussion,” Meghwal said.

“Now they are saying why did the Prime Minister speak on Manipur before coming to Parliament,” he said, accusing the Opposition parties of looking for new excuses as they are “frustrated and disappointed.” While Birla had been informally meeting leaders of various parties to resolve the impasse, Tuesday was the first structured all-party meeting of floor leaders called by him. Rajya Sabha Chairman Jagdeep Dhankhar also held a meeting on Monday with Opposition leaders from the Upper House, including Jairam Ramesh, BRS’ K Keshava Rao, BJD’s Sasmit Patra and AAP’s Raghav Chadha as well to resolve the deadlock. Have written to leaders of Oppn in both Houses for discussion on Manipur: Shah in Lok Sabha: HOME Minister Amit Shah on Tuesday said he has written to leaders of opposition in Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha that the Government is ready for discussion on the Manipur issue for as long as they want.

Replying to a short debate on the Multi-State Cooperative Societies (Amendment) Bill in the Lok Sabha, the Minister said the Government has nothing to hide, and is ready to discuss the Manipur issue.

“People who are shouting slogans are neither interested in cooperation nor in cooperatives, neither in Dalits nor in women welfare,” he said amid sloganeering by Opposition members. “I want to reiterate that I have written letters to leaders of Opposition in both Houses that we (Government) are prepared for a discussion for as long as they want. The Government is not afraid of anything. Those who want to debate the Manipur issue can debate. We have nothing to hide,” Shah said. Later, the House passed the bill with a voice vote amid the din. The House was adjourned soon after to meet again on Wednesday.