Rahul Gandhi's Clear No To Kiren Rijiju's Delimitation Bill Request Amid House Logjam: Sources

As the Parliament deadlock entered its third week of the Monsoon Session, Parliamentary Affairs Minister Kiren Rijiju on Wednesday reached out to Leader of Opposition Rahul Gandhi in a bid to find a way out of the logjam, sources said.

Sources said Rijiju met Gandhi in his chamber shortly after the Lok Sabha was adjourned within minutes of assembling amid Opposition sloganeering.

According to sources, Rijiju sought the Congress's cooperation on the Delimitation Bill and the Women's Reservation Amendment Bill that the government is keen to bring again in the current session.

Rahul Gandhi, however, rejected the government's request outright, according to the sources.

The Leader of Opposition told Kiren Rijiju that there can be no business in the House until there is a discussion on the alleged donation theft at the Ram Mandir and a statement by Home Minister Amit Shah on police action against students during the July 20 protest in the Capital, sources said.

After meeting Rahul Gandhi, Kiren Rijiju met Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla and the Home Minister to discuss the Parliament standoff, sources added.

The unyielding Opposition has put a spanner in the government's plan to pass the Delimitation Bill in this session. On the back of new numbers in the House, thanks to defections from the Trinamool Congress and Uddhav Thackeray's Shiv Sena, the government had, as per sources, hoped to push through the contentious bill that failed in the last session.

The Opposition has been targeting Amit Shah over the crackdown on students, demanding a statement from him in the House. The government has rejected the Opposition's charge, saying it is the magistrate who decides on the use of force during a protest, not the Home Minister.

The Opposition, led by the Congress and the Samajwadi Party, has also been attacking the Centre over the alleged donation theft at the Ram Mandir and has been demanding a discussion on the subject.

For several days, Opposition MPs have been protesting with symbolic donation boxes inside the Parliament complex to target the government.

Since the Monsoon Session began on July 20, the Lok Sabha has not been able to complete Question Hour. Five bills have been passed without discussion amid the din.

Lok Sabha proceedings were again adjourned on Wednesday as the Opposition continued its sloganeering over various issues, including police action against students.

As soon as the House met, Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla asked members to return to their seats and allow the House to take up Question Hour.

"Sloganeering, whether inside or outside the House, is not good for democracy. By showing placards and sloganeering, you are lowering the dignity of the House," Birla told Opposition members.

Birla said many members had approached him saying important questions were listed, but the House was not able to take up Question Hour due to the disruption created by the Opposition in the ongoing Monsoon Session.