New Delhi: The government on Thursday rejected the Opposition bloc's "alternative route" proposal to end the Rajya Sabha logjam over the "condition" that Prime Minister Narendra Modi be present in the House when it discusses the Manipur issue under Rule 167. Under the rule, "no discussion of a matter of general public interest shall take place except on a motion made with the consent of the Chairman."
Amid protests by the Treasury Benches, the Leader of the Opposition Mallikarjun Kharge asked Rajya Sabha Chairman Jagdeep Dhankhar to allow a discussion under Rule 167 in the Prime Minister's presence. After Leader of the House Piyush Goyal informed the Rajya Sabha about the conditions put up by the Opposition bloc, Kharge retorted, "What will happen if the PM comes to the House? Is he parmaatma (almighty)? He is no God." Kharge’s comments led to an uproar in the House, forcing the Chair to adjourn the House till 2 pm.
Since day one of the ongoing Monsoon Session of Parliament, the Opposition parties had been demanding a discussion on the Manipur issue under Rule 267, which entails voting and a statement by the Prime Minister.
The government has been insisting on a short-duration discussion under Rule 176, which does not involve voting or any minister replying to the debate.
Earlier in the day, after the papers were laid in the Upper House, the Chairman informed that he had received several notices on different issues, including three on the Manipur issue under Rules 167 and 168 from DMK’s Tiruchi Siva, CPI’s Binoy Viswam and CPM’s Elamaram Kareem.
The Chairman also said that he will consult with political parties at 1 pm. Later, he sought views on Rule 167 from Kharge and Goyal. Dhankhar also said that a discussion on the Manipur issue was initiated in the House on July 31, but due to disruptions, it could not fructify. He asked the leaders of the political parties to decide on the rule first, as this might provide an opportunity for a way out.
When the Chair said that he will be talking to both sides to arrive at a solution, Goyal charged that the Opposition leaders were not ready to hold talks in his "chamber" to end the over-three-week logjam in the House. He added that he and parliamentary affairs minister Pralhad Joshi went to the Leader of the Opposition's office to persuade the Opposition leaders for a discussion. He added that in the meeting, the Opposition leaders put a condition that the PM should be present in the House during the debate, which he and Joshi refused.
Alleging that Goyal was stating a different version of the outcome of the meeting held at LoP's office, Kharge said, "In the meeting, it was decided that the discussion can happen under Rule 167. What is the problem now? You had agreed, you had given a proposal and now you are saying something else after coming out of my room."
Earlier, Siva said both sides could not reach a common point in the last fortnight and said that, in pursuance of the Chairman's appeal, the "INDIA" alliance has evolved an alternative route to discuss the Manipur issue under Rule 167.
"We want to have a discussion on Manipur. We do not want to stick to one particular level and let them also not stick to that level," Siva said, urging the Chairman to accept his notice.
On this, Dhankhar said Siva has raised a valid point and this stalemate has not "earned us any respect".
"Further, we are not able to debate about Manipur. He has come up with a way... I personally feel that the two sides have taken rigid stands…," Dhankhar said, inviting the LoP to share his view on the issue.
Kharge requested that the Chairman allow the discussion under Rule 167 and let the Prime Minister be present in the House so that the Opposition members could express their views in his presence.
After this, sloganeering intensified in the House, forcing the Chair to adjourn the proceedings till 2 pm.
When the House reassembled at 2 pm, Dhankhar tried to bring unanimity for holding a discussion on the Manipur violence issue, which was followed by an exchange of views from both sides as members recited poetry and couplets for some time, but no solution could be found.
Soon thereafter, a member from Mizoram rose to make a point that tribals, including him, have been living in India much before the British times and have not migrated from Myanmar.
When the Chairman did not allow him to speak further, saying nothing will go on record, the entire Opposition supported the Mizoram member and some of them trooped into the Well raising slogans.
The Chairman then took up the legislative business. After the Bills were introduced and passed, Dhankhar adjourned the House for the day amid the relentless sloganeering by the Opposition members who trooped into the Well of the House.
