Delhi violence rocks House as Oppn repeats debate demand

STALEMATE Govt insists on discussion after Holi, reaches out to Congress as Opposition reiterates it will not budge from its position

NEW DELHI: The stalemate in Parliament continued on Wednesday as the opposition stuck to its demand for a discussion on the violence during the communal riots in Delhi last week while the government insisted that the debate on the issue could be held in both the Houses after Holi (March 10).

The government made the first direct attempt to break the logjam after its senior minister and Leader of the House in the Rajya Sabha, Thawar Chand Gehlot, met Leader of the Opposition and Congress veteran, Ghulam Nabi Azad, in the morning to iron out the differences.

In the meeting, Gehlot sought the Opposition’s cooperation to resume business and conveyed to Azad that the government was not averse to a a discussion on the situation in Delhi where communal violence claimed 47 lives.

Soon after the meeting, Azad said the Congress will not budge from its position of not allowing any business until a discussion on the Delhi violence takes place.

“They [the government] said the discussion will be held after Holi [on March 10]. To that our answer is then suspend the business and resume it with the discussion after Holi,” Azad said.

However, a Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader maintained on condition of anonymity that “efforts are underway” to end the impasse.

On Wednesday, the Rajya Sabha was adjourned for the day after the Congress said it will not let Parliament function till a debate on the Delhi riots is allowed. As soon as the Rajya Sabha convened and Chairman M Venkaiah Naidu announced that he had disallowed notices to suspend the business of the House to discuss the Delhi violence, the Opposition members protested with some Trinamool Congress members rushing to the Well.

Naidu said he will discuss the matter with Gehlot and Azad to finalise under which rule the debate should take place. “We will take it up on March 11th after Holi is over,” he said.

However, the Rajya Sabha was adjourned for the day without transacting any business as the Opposition refused to relent.

But the Lok Sabha did transact some business. The House passed a bill providing opportunity to taxpayers to settle disputes by paying just due taxes with complete waiver of interest and penalty by March 31. The Direct Tax Vivaad Se Vishwas Bill, 2020, was taken up in the House and approved without any discussion.

Also, a bill that seeks to confer the status of Institution of National Importance to five Indian Institutes of Information Technology was introduced. But the Congress asserted that it will not let Parliament function till a debate on the Delhi riots is allowed in both the Houses.

“The government should accept its responsibility and the perpetrators of the violence should be punished. We have been asking the government repeatedly to allow a debate on the issue,” Congress leader in the Lok Sabha, Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury, said. “Till the time a debate on Delhi riots is allowed in Parliament, our protest both inside and outside will continue,” Chowdhury said. Parliament will have a two-day Holi break next week and resume working on March 11.

GOVT MADE THE FIRST DIRECT ATTEMPT TO BREAK LOGJAM WHEN LEADER OF THE HOUSE IN THE RAJYA SABHA, THAWAR CHAND GEHLOT, MET LEADER OF OPPN GHULAM NABI AZAD TO IRON OUT DIFFERENCES