NDA allies to decide on RSS issue today

NEW DELHI, FEB 29: Following assurances from its allies, the government is veering round to the idea of holding a discussion on the RSS is...

NEW DELHI, FEB 29: Following assurances from its allies, the government is veering round to the idea of holding a discussion on the RSS issue under rule 184 as demanded by the opposition parties.

A formal decision on the matter is likely to be taken at a meeting of NDA partners convened tomorrow morning by Prime Minister Atal Behari Vajpayee.

The issue, arising out of the Gujarat BJP government’s decision to lift the ban on its employees from participating in activities of the RSS, has paralyzed the proceedings of the Lok Sabha for the last four days because of Speaker G M C Balayogi’s refusal to accede to the opposition demand. He instead yesterday asked BJP MP Kirit Somaiya to initiate the discussion under rule 193 which does not entail voting.

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The government had initially refused to buckle before the opposition demand, arguing that the matter concerned the state government, and that it was not so important an issue to merit a discussion under rule 184.

But two important developments seem to have forced the government to rethink its strategy. While the issue has rallied together the entire opposition in the last two days, several allies, including the Telugu Desam Party, Trinamool Congress and the Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam, yesterday assured the Prime Minister that they would not do anything which would put the government in the dock, indicating thereby that they would vote against the motion.

The Prime Minister, on his behalf, reportedly reiterated the Centre’s resolve not to allow its employees to take part in RSS activities.

Leaders of opposition parties met Balayogi again today to urge him to allow a discussion under rule 184. The Speaker is learnt to have put the ball in the government’s court.