As the Speaker said he would seek the government’s views on the first proposal, the Opposition side decided to wait till Tuesday morning, and Congress leaders paused until then their earlier move to submit a notice for the removal of the Speaker even as Trinamool, NCP-SP and AAP remain non-committal to sign the notice. Congress side claimed it had collected 102 signs by Monday evening, sources said. After Opposition-Speaker talks, a meeting between home minister Amit Shah and the Speaker was on at the time of writing.
The path for negotiation was set on Monday afternoon when four Opposition MPs – Gandhi, Akhilesh Yadav (SP), TR Baalu (DMK) and Abhishek Banerjee (Trinamool) — met Birla and proposed that they be allowed to speak on Tuesday on four points – that LoP is not being given the customary right by the Chair to speak on important matters; that other Opposition floor leaders too are not being extended such courtesy; about their reservation on the manner BJP’s Nishikant Dubey was allowed to read out objectionable remarks about the Gandhi family from some books; and their opposition of the Chair’s charge that some women MPs had planned to create a scene when the PM was to reach the House.
At a meeting with Opposition leaders in the Speaker’s chamber, Rijiju said if Gandhi wanted to speak on some issues, leaders of other parties would also express their views, and that it should not be the case that Gandhi speaks and then Opposition creates a ruckus. Rijiju told media persons, “Now I have heard that Rahul went to meet the Speaker with four points… They have not said such things to me. But I cannot agree to a situation where leader of opposition Rahul Gandhi will speak, make accusations and then create ruckus and don’t let others speak…. We will not allow only Congress party to speak…,” he said.
Even if Congress and other MPs submit a notice for the motion, it won’t be taken up for consideration in the remaining days of the first phase of the session.
