Parliament deadlock: Govt-BJP stand-off worsens
The stand-off between government and BJP worsened on Tuesday with Congress President Sonia Gandhi asking her party to ‘fight aggressively’ against the main Opposition's ‘blackmail’ of stalling Parliament as efforts to break the deadlock failed.
Parliament failed to transact business for the sixth straight day because of the continuing confrontation and both the Congress and the BJP announced that they would take to the streets.
The tone for the day was set by Gandhi, who addressed the Congress Parliamentary Party, where she accused BJP of making ‘blackmail’ its ‘political bread and butter’ and holding Parliament to ransom.
A combative Congress President asked the party to ‘stand up and fight aggressively’ the BJP's ‘wanton irresponsibility’.
BJP hit back at Gandhi, saying it did not need a certificate of responsibility from Congress party and reminded her of Congress' accountability towards Parliament.
The mutual recrimination was reflected in Parliament which was paralysed for the sixth consecutive day, with BJP continuing to create bedlam while other Opposition parties wanted the Parliament to function.
Gandhi displayed on the floor of Lok Sabha her determination to aggressively take on BJP. She egged on her members to counter opposition's sloganeering on coal allocation issue.
While Wednesday's is holiday for Parliament because of Kerala's biggest festival of Onam, there are clear signs that the rest of the Monsoon session ending September 7 could be a washout.
Unfazed by BJP's tactics, the government is believed to have decided to go ahead with legislative business and possibly pass some bills even in the din.
Outside Parliament, there were feeble attempts to end the logjam but without success. BJP leaders Gopinath Munde and Shahnawaz Hussain met Home Minister and Leader of the Lok Sabha Sushilkumar Shinde.
Leader of Opposition in Lok Sabha Sushma Swaraj met Speaker Meira Kumar and BJP MP Kirti Azad met Sonia Gandhi, triggering speculation. However, Swaraj said her meeting with Kumar had nothing to do with the stalemate while the other meeting was dismissed as of no consequence.
BJP leaders also held a meeting among themselves which was joined by AIADMK leader M. Thambidurai.
After the CPP meeting, Congress spokesman Manish Tiwari said with Gandhi's call to take on BJP, lakhs of partymen will take to the streets to counter the Opposition party's campaign.
The BJP retaliated by saying it has also decided to hold countrywide protests on the issue of corruption.
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