RS to discuss Ayodhya on Monday

By Our Special Correspondent

NEW DELHI, DEC. 15. The Government today acceded to the Opposition demand for a discussion on the Ayodhya issue in the Rajya Sabha ending the nine-day deadlock in the Upper House. The debate will be held on Monday.

As soon as the House assembled this morning, the Chairman, Mr. Krishan Kant, said the Opposition-sponsored motion had been admitted but did not specify the rule under which it would be discussed.

For the past nine days, the Opposition did not allow transaction of any business in the House insisting on a discussion culminating in voting on the impropriety of the Prime Minister, Mr. A. B. Vajpayee, exonerating the three Union Ministers chargesheeted in the Babri Masjid demolition case.

The notice for the motion was given by Mr. Pranab Mukherjee of the Congress and supported by eight other Opposition parties including the Left parties, the Samajwadi Party, the AIADMK, and the United Parliamentary Group.

The Opposition had hardened its stance after the Government agreed to discuss the issue in the Lok Sabha under a substantive motion but disagreed to have a discussion in the Rajya Sabha. Opposition MPs accused the Government of adopting different standards in the two Houses.

The stalemate ended after the Opposition agreed to reword the motion preferring to ``disagree'' instead of ``disapproval'' on the Prime Minister's statement on the three Ministers chargesheeted by the CBI.

Opposition members and Government sources said the motion would be discussed under Rule 170 that would entail voting. The Government, in a minority in the Upper House, is apparently not worried on the likelihood of the motion being carried.

Sources in the Government sought to give it a spin stating that even if the motion was carried by the Rajya Sabha it would not mean a censure of the Vajpayee Government but only disagreement with the Lok Sabha which rejected a similar motion yesterday.

Once again the issue would be debated at length through Monday, this time in the Rajya Sabha and the Prime Minister is expected to reply the next day.

Send this article to Friends by E-Mail

Section  : Front Page
Next     : I need not be apologetic: Advani