NEW DELHI: As the stand-off between Centre and the Opposition continued on the fifth day of the Monsoon session of Parliament, Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla on Friday convened an all-party meeting where Opposition parties agreed to the agenda of taking up a special discussion on the Pahalgam terror attack and Operation Sindoor on Monday in Lok Sabha and the next day in Rajya Sabha, brightening the prospect of normalcy in both Houses.
Briefing the media, Union Parliamentary Affairs Minister Kiren Rijiju said the decision to start a special discussion on the ‘Terrorist attack in Pahalgam and in response to that Operation Sindoor carried out by the Indian Armed Forces’ was agreed to at a meeting of leaders of different parties chaired by Speaker Om Birla.
Defence Minister Rajnath Singh, Home Minister Amit Shah and External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar are expected to speak in the Lok Sabha amid indications that Prime Minister Modi may use the much-anticipated debate to turn up the heat on the Opposition, which looks to corner the government over alleged intelligence failures and US President Donald Trump’s claims of mediating a “ceasefire” between India and Pakistan.
From the Opposition benches, LoP Rahul Gandhi, Congress leaders Gaurav Gogoi, Manish Tewari, SP’s Akhileh Yadav, NCP’s Supriya Sule, and TMC’s Abhishek Banerjee will be speakers among others.
Asked about the Opposition’s demand that Parliament discuss the Special Intensive Revision of Bihar electoral rolls, he said all issues cannot be taken up at once and the Centre will take a call on other matters gradually.
Asked if PM Modi will speak in Parliament during the discussion, another key demand of the Opposition, Rijiju said the government cannot decide the speakers of opposition parties, and vice versa.
He expressed hope that the Opposition will allow Parliament to function from next week, lamenting the waste of resources and efforts going into preparing answers for the questions to be asked by MPs during the Question Hour, which did not take place in the first week due to protests. One has to follow the rules guiding discussion in Parliament, Rijiju said.
Speaking to this newpapers, Congress MP Gaurav Gogoi said the government had to agree for a debate on Pahalgam attack and Operation Sindoor because of the consistent demand by the Opposition. However, he said the government was non-committal on discussing SIR. “The government cited technical issues in discussing SIR. They say the EC is carrying out the exercise,” he said.
Discussion on Bihar SIR unlikely
Asked about the Opposition’s demand that Parliament discuss the Special Intensive Revision of Bihar electoral rolls, he said all issues cannot be taken up at once and the Centre will take a call on other matters gradually. With the electoral rolls revision exercise being seen in the government circles as the EC carrying out its mandate, the possibility of a discussion on the issue is slim, sources said.
‘United on impeachment’
Rijiju said the Lok Sabha will soon initiate proceedings to impeach Justice Yashwant Varma, who is facing allegations of corruption. “We shouldn’t remain in any doubt, proceedings to remove Justice Yashwant Varma will begin in Lok Sabha,” Rijiju said. He added that all parties agreed to move unitedly.