VIJAY GOEL MEETS OPPN TO BREAK LOGJAM IN PARLIAMENT

NEW DELHI: Union minister Vijay Goel met opposition leaders on Thursday, including Leader of the Congress in the Rajya Sabha Ghulam Nabi Azad, at their residence in an effort to break the logjam in Parliament, which has been paralysed for 14 days due to protests by various parties.

His meeting with Azad, V Maitreyan, AIADMK leader in the Upper House, and TDP leader Y S Chowdary came after he asserted at a press conference that the government is willing for a discussion on no-confidence motions against it as it has a strong majority in the Lok Sabha.

He said he will meet key opposition leaders, including from the Telangana Rashtra Samiti (TRS) and the Trinamool Congress (TMC), to persuade them to call off their protest in Parliament. Official sources said Goel had an hour-long meeting with Azad and will meet more leaders on Friday.

The second leg of the Budget Session has been a washout in both the Houses of Parliament since it started on March 5 as protests by various parties over a number of issues have stalled the proceedings, causing daily adjournments.

Wondering why opposition leaders were debating on television and not in the House, Goel noted that over ₹2.5 lakh is spent per minute to run Parliament, and asked opposition parties to raise and debate the issues in the two Houses.

The second leg of the Budget Session is of 23 days and all 14 days so far have been wasted, Goel said.

On issues like the PNB fraud, the government has more to tell the people than the opposition, he claimed and said the Modi government has been an honest dispensation which has worked against corruption.

“Parliament is meant for debate. It is sad that opposition leaders can debate outside and on TV channels but not in Parliament. It is also strange for some of them to keep protesting in the Well of the two Houses and then say that it is the government’s job to run them,” he said.