Under pressure from the Opposition for a discussion on the violence in Gaza and a firm ‘no’ by Rajya Sabha Chairman Hamid Ansari to a request for not holding one, the National Democratic Alliance government on Thursday agreed to a debate on the subject on Monday.
The government response, however, may not help run the proceedings of the House smoothly on Friday as the Opposition is insisting on an immediate discussion, contending that the government’s reluctance for a debate had sent a wrong message.
The government announcement came at a meeting of the Business Advisory Committee of the Rajya Sabha after the House was adjourned following disruptions for the second consecutive day.
Earlier in the day, the government found itself in a tight spot in the House over its reluctance to hold an immediate discussion on the violence in Gaza even after the motion was admitted by the presiding officer.
As soon as the House met for the day, Dr. Ansari read out his ruling turning down the plea of External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj to withdraw the short-duration discussion from the list of business. He said there was no infirmity in the notices given by the Leader of the Opposition and others for holding a discussion.
On the Opposition’s demand to suspend the Question Hour and take up the discussion, Mr. Ansari said the matter was included on Wednesday’s agenda, but was not listed on Thursday following a request from the Leader of the House, Arun Jaitley, that “the issue may not be taken up on July 17 and that the government will communicate an appropriate date for the same soon.”
“Accordingly, the short-duration discussion on Palestine has not been listed in today’s agenda papers,” he said.
This triggered a wave of protest from Opposition benches.
