Prime Minister Narendra Modi a meeting with his top ministers this morning. (File Photo)
After days of repeated disruptions, and some this morning, both houses of Parliament have functioned today, thanks mainly to some tactical manoeuvring by the government.
The Modi government, under pressure from protests by the Congress-led opposition on different issues, including attacks on education minister Smriti Irani, said a prompt yes to a debate in both houses on charges of financial misappropriation against former finance minister P Chidambaram's son, Karti.
Lawmakers from the ruling BJP also moved notices in both Houses for discussion on
new revelations in the Ishrat Jehan case.
The twin moves to put the Congress on the back foot were decided at a meeting that Prime Minister Narendra Modi held with his top ministers this morning.
The BJP has alleged that Mr Chidambaram, as home minister,
amended government documents submitted in court to say that there was no proof that college student Ishrat, shot dead by the Gujarat Police in 2004, was a terrorist.
Gujarat police officers had claimed that Ishrat, 19, and three men shot with her were involved in a plot to assassinate then chief minister Mr Modi.
Arun Jaitley in Lok Sabha said that those found guilty in the Aircel-Maxis deal won't be spared.
The BJP has based its new attack on the senior Congress leader on recent statements made by two former bureaucrats and alleges that Mr Chidambaram did this to suit his party's stand that Ishrat was innocent and shot in cold blood on the Gujarat government's orders. The party alleges that Mr Chidambaram was directed by his leadership to frame Narendra Modi and Amit Shah, now BJP chief, ahead of elections in Gujarat.
At the meeting today, the BJP's top ministers discussed how to use the new controversy and the one over Karti Chidambaram to ensure peace in Parliament.
The impact of the meeting was visible immediately. In the Rajya Sabha, the government agreed to a debate when lawmakers from J Jayalalithaa's AIADMK attacked Karti Chidambaram.
The Congress has accused the AIADMK of acting as a B Team of the BJP and alleged that the Tamil Nadu party's protest was sponsored by the government. While the opposition party has stoutly defended Mr Chidambaram, it stepped back on its attack on Ms Irani and agreed to allow a debate on the President's address.
In the Lok Sabha, a short duration debate was held, which Finance Minister Arun Jaitley concluded saying, "
Nobody, howsoever important, would be spared if found guilty."