The opposition today scuttled the government's move to limit discussion in Lok Sabha on the statement made by External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj regarding the Lalit Modi row.
At the Business Advisory Committee meeting of the House, AIADMK and BJD objected to the plans and succeeded in having the debate under Rule 193 on "Issues arising out of IPL controversy".
Discussion under this rule does not entail voting. The issue is now listed tomorrow for discussion.
Congress member KC Venugopal staged a walkout from the meeting insisting that the party wanted action on their demand for resignation of Swaraj as well as the chief ministers of Rajasthan and Madhya Pradesh, respectively, Vasundhara Raje and Shivraj Singh Chouhan, over 'Lalitgate' and the Vyapam scam.
TMC, which skipped the meeting, insisted that the government should agree to take up an adjournment motion moved by Congress.
TMC leader Sudip Bandyopadhyay said that instead of creating a stalemate, everyone should speak in the House, including Congress and the government, and debate the issue.
"Let the government accept the adjournment motion of Congress and start a discussion on the IPL controversy and TMC will take part in it as we want the House to function," he told PTI.
Deputy Speaker M Thambi Durai, of AIADMK, insisted that IPL cannot be discussed without mentioning individuals who are not members of the House.
Tathagata Satpathy of BJD said that Lalit Modi's name would definately come up while discussing such an issue.
