The highly anticipated all party meeting, called by the Government to end the Parliamentary logjam, went up in smoke after uproar in both Rajya Sabha and Lok Sabha.
Rajya Sabha witnessed heated protests by the Opposition, whose primary demand was resignation of three BJP Ministers, against whom allegations of being involved in different scams were levelled.
Breaking her silence, External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj denied helping Lalit Modi with travel documents on the floor of the house in Rajya Sabha. Her statement notwithstanding, Opposition stuck to their guns and continued demanding resignations to Deputy Chairman of Rajya Sabha PJ Kurien.
Meanwhile Union Parliamentary Affairs Minister M Venkaiah Naidu ruled out resignations over LalitGate scam. He also added that Prime Minister Narendra Modi will intervene "as and when required. BJP came down heavily on the Opposition and accused them of stalling development.
Breaking her silence, External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj today said she had not made any request to the British government for issue of travel documents to controversial former IPL chief Lalit Modi and asserted that all allegations against her were "baseless and unfounded".
Swaraj managed to speak a few sentences in the Rajya Sabha amid slogan-shouting by Congress members seeking fixing of accountability in the Lalitgate and Vyapam scam but could not complete her statement, as Deputy Chairman P J Kurien adjourned the House till 1200 hours amidst the din.
“The parliament is meeting after a two week deadlock. I convened a meeting of all leaders from different political parties. We will be discussing ways and means to end this deadlock as people are getting depressed that the parliament is not functioning. This is not in the interest of anybody. We want the Parliament to function and I am confident we will find a solution. As and when required, if there is a need Prime Minister will also intervene, no problem on that account,” said Naidu.
“The Prime Minister has been very free with his promises. Yet he seems totally incapable of delivering on them. On the one hand, he never misses an opportunity to claim the moral high ground on transparency, integrity and accountability,” said Gandhi, while speaking at the party parliamentary meeting.
“On the other he has been conspicuous by his deafening silence on the blatant transgressions by his External Affairs Minister and two of his chief ministers. There are others too in this roll call of dishonour but for the time being we are confining ourselves to these three. The “mann ki baat” man appears to retreat into a “maun vrat” whenever there is a scandal involving his colleagues,” she said.
(With inputs from agencies)