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Modi resignation issue stalls Parliament again

Parliament remained paralysed for the fifth consecutive day on Friday over the Gujarat issue with an unrelenting opposition refusing to budge from its stand on the ouster of Chief Minister Narendra Modi leading to adjournment of both Houses till Monday.

As soon as the Lok Sabha assembled, members from Congress, Left parties, Samajwadi Party and RJD benches stormed the well shouting slogans like 'Modi Hatao Desh Bachao (Remove Modi, Save the Country)' and 'Narendra Modi Khooni Hai, Gujarat Ki Galia Sooni Hai (Modi is a killer, lanes of Gujarat are desolate)'.

Ruling BJP members, who moved up to the front benches, sought to counter the opposition onslaught by demanding an apology from leader of the opposition Sonia Gandhi for her recent remarks at Guwahati against Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee.

The BJP members were, however, persuaded by Parliamentary Affairs Minister Pramod Mahajan to return to their seats.

As the uproar continued, TDP leader K Yerrannaidu was heard telling Deputy Speaker P M Sayeed that he wanted to make a statement on the Gujarat issue.

TDP, a key ally of the ruling NDA, has been demanding removal of Modi.

With the opposition members refusing to heed to his pleas, Sayeed adjourned the House for the day. No business could be transacted.

Earlier, an all-party meeting convened on Friday morning by Lok Sabha Deputy Speaker P M Sayeed failed to end the government-opposition stand-off in Parliament on the Gujarat issue.

The meeting, attended among others by Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee and leader of the opposition Sonia Gandhi, saw the opposition sticking to its demand for discussion on the Gujarat issue under a censure motion and the government suggesting a debate under a rule, which does not entail voting.

Parliament sources said that the government said that the issue could be taken up under Rule 193, a special discussion that does not require voting.

However, Gandhi rejected the suggestion saying a discussion under Rule 193 would be a short duration one.

She said the Gujarat issue should be discussed under Rule 184, which requires voting so that the stand of various parties becomes clear.

Among others who attended the meeting were Parliamentary Affairs Minister Pramod Mahajan, Somnath Chatterjee (CPI-M), K Yerrannaidu (TDP), Sharad Pawar (NCP), P R Dasmunshi, Shivraj Patil (both Congress) and Raghuvansh Prasad Singh (RJD).

Vajpayee expressed reservations over taking up discussion under Rule 184 as he was of the view that it would amount to bringing a no-confidence motion against his government, the sources said.

Vajpayee also dared the opposition to move a no-confidence motion against his government

The Opposition could move a no-confidence motion if it wanted to test the strength of the ruling NDA in the Lok Sabha, the prime minister told the meeting, according to Parliamentary Affairs Minister Pramod Mahajan.

The Prime Minister rejected the opposition charge that the government was shying away from a trial of strength, but said it was ready to face a no-trust motion.

The Deputy Speaker said at the meeting that though it was the Speaker's prerogative to take a decision, which motion to admit, by tradition the House goes by consensus.

He expressed the hope that the deadlock, which has paralysed Parliament this week would be resolved within the next two days.

"How can we have a short duration discussion on a matter the prime minister has said he is ashamed of," CPI-M leader Somnath Chatterjee said.

Congress deputy leader in Lok Sabha, Shivraj Patil, said the party had left the final decision to the Deputy Speaker though it stuck to its demand that the discussion be held under Rule 184.

TDP leader K Yerrannaidu said the party wanted a discussion but left it to the Chair to decide on the rule under which the discussion could be taken up.

However, TDP stuck to its stand that Modi should resign and there should be no mid-term polls in the state.

JD (U) leader Devendra Prasad Yadav and MDMK Chief Vaiko went along with the NDA stand that there should be a discussion on the Gujarat issue under a provision that did not provide for voting.

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