All-party meet ends in deadlock

Venkaiah Naidu said "There is no question of accepting ultimatum by anybody. From where did the question of resignation arise?"

Setting the stage for confrontation in Parliament, an all-party meeting called here on the eve of the Monsoon session on Monday ended in a deadlock over controversies related to Lalit Modi and Vyapam scam even as Prime Minister Narendra Modi offered to discuss all issues.

The government ruled out any resignations.

“There is no question of accepting ultimatum by anybody. From where did the question of resignation arise? Nobody can dictate terms to the government. From Government side, no Union Minister has done anything illegal or immoral,” Parliamentary Affairs Minister M Venkaiah Naidu said.

He was responding to Leader of Opposition Ghulam Nabi Azad’s remarks that if Mr. Modi was interested in running the Monsoon session of Parliament smoothly, he should remove External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj, Rajasthan Chief Minister Vasundhara Raje and Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan.

The Prime Minister chose the occasion to remind parties that smooth running of Parliament is a “shared responsibility” though the government has to take initiative for it.

He appealed to them to utilise Parliament time for discussing all issues.

On the Land bill, the Prime Minister expressed agreement with the remarks by Ram Gopal Yadav that since there is no consensus on the issue, both government and opposition should make some adjustments to resolve the issue.

Congress was, however, somewhat isolated at the meeting called by Mr. Naidu on its stand of not allowing Parliament to function if Rajasthan Chief Minister Vasundhara Raje did not resign in connection with Lalit Modi row and Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan did not quit over Vyapam scam.

A number of parties felt a washout of Parliament is not a solution.

“This is not correct. Parliament will run but government must allow discussion,” JD(U) president Sharad Yadav said when asked about the Congress stand.

Samajwadi Party leader Ramgopal Yadav was sceptical about the smooth functioning of Parliament. “I do not think this will be resolved. Weather seems bad from now itself.”

Mr. Naidu said that 29 opposition parties did not back the Congress stand on not allowing the House to function.