Cracks in Opp ranks as Cong favours Rahul’s speech in House; SP, TMC seek debate

Cracks appeared in the opposition ranks as the SP and the TMC showed willingness to participate in the debate on the Budget instead of stalling the proceedings, with the government making it clear that it cannot allow Congress leader Rahul Gandhi to have his say and not let others to speak. As deadlock in the Lok Sabha spilled into the second week, Home Minister Amit Shah and Parliamentary Affairs Minister Kiren Rijiju had a closed-door meeting with Speaker Om Birla in a possible effort to end the impasse. Congress leaders have been accusing the Speaker of being partisan and favouring the BJP-led ruling alliance and were planning a no-confidence motion against him along with a section of the opposition. Opposition leaders including Gandhi, Abhishek Banerjee of the Trinamool Congress (TMC), Akhilesh Yadav of the Samajwadi Party (SP) and T R Baalu (DMK) met the Speaker with their demands to be allowed to speak in the House and withdrawal of suspension of eight lawmakers. Yadav, the former Uttar Pradesh chief minister, said the opposition parties want the House to function. Banerjee, the leader of the TMC in the Lok Sabha, said orderly conduct of the House was essential.“Elected opposition MPs must be given the time and opportunity to speak. They represent millions of citizens and their voices cannot be erased by arbitrary suspensions,” he said. Rijiju said he cannot agree to a situation where the LoP alone will speak, make accusations, then create a ruckus and not let others speak. “That will not happen. We will not agree to that. If the Congress speaks, then we will insist that other members also be allowed to speak. We will not allow only the Congress party to speak,” Rijiju said. The opposition is considering giving a notice for moving a resolution to remove Birla from office for disallowing Gandhi and other opposition leaders from speaking in the House on the Motion of Thanks to the President’s Address as well as for the suspensio