Bihar impasse cripples both houses; RLM leads charge

“The Bihar unit of the BJP is not in favour of revocation. We’d rather like the Government to fight it out in the Rajya Sabha,” Modi told media persons this afternoon. “But if the Government takes a decision to the contrary keeping in view thelarger interests of the BJP-Samata alliance, we’ll not oppose it.”

Although the Bihar BJP and the Samata are pressing for the motion to be tabled in the Rajya Sabha, a section of senior BJP leaders including the Prime Minister is learnt to be in favour of revoking it. The Government is also under intense pressure from the TDP to adopt this line.

A decision on the matter will have to be taken soon if the Government wants to go ahead with the business and if it is keen on preventing the recurrence of uproarious scenes which shook Parliament today.

The two Houses of Parliament, which resumed their sitting after a four-day break, were abruptly shaken from their Holi hangover by agitated members of the Rashtriya Janata Dal and the Samajwadi Party, who wanted the Government to table in the Rajya Sabha the motion imposing President’s Rule in Bihar.

With the Government remaining non-committal on its stand, angry RLM MPs are unlikely to allow the two Houses to function. In the Rajya Sabha’s business advisorycommittee meeting held this evening, Union Parliamentary Affairs Minister P R Kumaramangalam sought time till Monday to spell out the Government’s stand — a view which was roundly opposed by representatives of all Opposition parties.

“We’ll continue to disrupt proceedings in the two Houses till the time the Government gives us an assurance on tabling the Presidential proclamation in the Rajya Sabha,” remarked RJD working president Ranjan Kumar Yadav after the BAC meeting.

Vajpayee is leaving on a day-long visit to Bihar tomorrow. He is scheduled to return to the Capital on Saturday eveving after inaugurating three projects — two thermal power stations and one in the railways sector — in the State. Any decision on Bihar is, therefore, unlikely to be taken before Monday.

The Government had a taste of opposition displeasure as soon as the two Houses assembled for the day this morning. In the Lok Sabha, RJD and SP members led by Laloo Prasad Yadav amd Mulayam Singh Yadav raised the issue as soon asthe question hour began. They wanted the Government to introduce the resolution in the Rajya Sabha immediately.

With the Government refusing to come forward with a reply, they rushed to the well of the House shouting slogans such as “Loktantra ke hatyaron, murdabad, murdabad,” “356 ko Rajya Sabha mein lana hoga” and “356 wapas lo, wapas lo.”

Laloo, in his inimitable style, joined in with “Samvidhan bol raha hai, BJP ka sashan dol raha hai.”

Former Prime Minister Chandra Shekhar wanted the Government to spell out its stand. He wondered whether it was not mandatory for the Lok Sabha Secretariat to inform its Rajya Sabha counterpart on the status of the resolution.

Speaking on behalf of the Government, Information and Broadcasting Minister Pramod Mahajan replied in the negative contending that it was just a motion and not a Bill. In his ruling later in the day, Deputy Speaker P M Sayeed said there was no stipulation in the rules of procedure and conduct of business in theHouse to send any message to the other House.