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This despite the fact that two hours had been set aside for the debate on the issue on Monday noon.
Evidently, the Congress led Opposition has pounced upon the opportunity to put the government on the mat bolstered as it is by its larger numerical strength in the upper house in contrast to its depleted strength in the Lok Sabha.
Congress strategists believe that this will not only consolidate its position as the principal Opposition party but it will also dispel the image of it being a weakened political force with the Assembly elections in several states in the offing.
The Congress led Opposition has already smelt its first victory having put the government on the backfoot over its request to disallow the discussion of a listed item, which was summarily rejected.
The government was compelled to do an about turn and agree to a discussion much against its will.
Henceforth, party insiders confirm that the Congress will adopt an aggressive stance especially in the Rajya Sabha, its bench strength of 44 MPs do not give it that scope in the Lok Sabha although it is the second largest party there.
If today's proceedings are an indication of things to come, it appears that the Congress is no mood to let any major business be transacted in the house apart from the general budget and Railway budget. Congress chief whip in the Rajya Sabha minced no words as he said later, "If they (Treasury benches) don't allow us to speak we also will not allow them to speak."
Today, even as the chair and government ministers requested that Question Hour be taken up, Congress Deputy Leader of Opposition Anand Sharma and CPIM's Sitaram Yechury were on their feet and opposed it vociferously; subsequently the entire day's proceedings were washed out.
The government managed to only read a statement on the UPSC conducted Civil Services exam imbroglio stating that the government would not allow any bias on the basis of language.
The Opposition even questioned the government as to why a condolence reference could be made on the Malaysian airline crash but not on the Gaza situation were innocents were being killed.
A senior Congress MP of the Rajya Sabha recalled that it was the obstructionist tactics of the erstwhile NDA in Opposition that did not let the Parliament function in especially in the last three years of UPA II, a simlar tactic on the Congress part cannot be ruled out.
Incidentally, for the past four days there has been no Question Hour in the upper house. The Lok Sabha proceedings were largely undisturbed barring the demands by
People's Democratic Party (PDP) Mehbooba Mufti to have a discussion on the Gaza issue in the lower house as well; this however was denied.
