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Deadlock in Parliament likely to continue

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Press Trust of India New Delhi
No signs of end to the over weeklong deadlock in Parliament is in sight despite the Lok Sabha and the Rajya Sabha resuming proceedings tomorrow after two days in the wake of the death of former President A P J Abdul Kalam.

Home Minister Rajnath Singh is expected to make a statement in the Lok Sabha tomorrow on the terror incident in Gurdaspur which could be utilised by the treasury benches to break the stalemate.

Speaker Sumitra Mahajan has already indicated that she could allow one or two members to seek clarifications, departing from rules and procedure.

Talk in political circles is that government could even facilitate an impromptu discussion on the terror attack allowing all parties to have their say on the incident which has shocked parties of all hue.
 

"The outlook in Parliament tomorrow is the same as last week," a Congress leader remarked indicating that the Opposition protests in the Lok Sabha and the Rajya Sabha will continue on the Lalit Modi controversy and the Vyapam scam.

Another Congress leader said that only obituary reference could be allowed.

An Opposition leader said that he sees no prospects of any worthwhile business as there has been "no approach" from the government to break the deadlock.

Amid continuous disruptions by Opposition members, Mahajan has convened an all-party meeting tomorrow to discuss better functioning of the Lok Sabha.

Sources in Parliament, however, insisted that the meeting was not to "break the deadlock" in the House as it is the job of the government and not that of the presiding officer.

The meeting comes close on the heels of Congress members showing placards in the house despite being warned not to do so.

Congress which is mainly agitating in Parliament has only 44 members in the 543-member Lok Sabha, the ruling NDA lacks numbers in the Rajya Sabha.

"No resignation, no discussion", is the refrain of the Congress leaders as the Opposition party is seeking the ouster of External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj and Rajasthan Chief Minister Vasundhara Raje on the Lalit Modi issue and Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chauhan on the Vyapam scam. Congress is also targeting Prime Minister Narendra Modi for maintaiing silence on the issues.

Congress leaders Rahul Gandhi, Ghulam Nabi Azad and Mallikarjun Kharge will be in Rameswaram tomorrow for the last rites of Kalam.

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First Published: Jul 29 2015 | 8:57 PM IST

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