PM Modi consults NDA Ministers over continued Parliament logjam, say reports

Prime Minister Narendra Modi has reportedly met with key NDA Ministers to discuss the ongoing logjam in the Winter Session of Parliament over the controversial remarks of Union Food Processing Industries Minister Sadhvi Niranjan Jyoti, and is expected to appear in the Rajya Sabha during Question Hour to answer questions related to departments under his charge.

With Parliament facing two consecutive days of opposition-inspired disruption over a demand for the Sadhvi's resignation, the government has been categorical in refusing to take this step. At the time of the filing of this report, the Rajya Sabha has been adjourned till 11.19 a.m., while in the Lok Sabha, the Leader of the Congress, Mallikarjun Kharge, has demanded that Prime Minister Modi be present in the House to make a statement.

Delhi Police had yesterday registered a complaint against the minister.

Sadhvi Niranjan Jyoti triggered a row while addressing a rally in Delhi on Monday when she said, "The people of Delhi have to decide if they want a government of ha***zadon (descendants of Ram) or ha***zadon (those who are illegitimately born)."

Parliamentary Affairs Minister M Venkaiah Naidu had appealed to the Opposition yesterday, not to disrupt the Question Hour to be held today, saying they can talk out and walk out but "let there be no break out".

Trouble is expected again today when Prime Minister Modi will arrive in the Rajya Sabha for answering questions relating to departments under his charge.

Yesterday, the appeal by the Parliamentary Affairs Minister came as Rajya Sabha witnessed a virtual wash-out of its proceedings on the second day amidst no immediate signs of a breakthrough in the impasse with the government having rejected calls for Jyoti to resign from her post.

"The question does not arise at all. There is no question of the minister resigning at all," Naidu told reporters while also ruling out any apology from Prime Minister Narendra Modi over the row.

Hitting out at the opposition for causing disruptions in parliamentary proceedings, Naidu charged that it was not behaving responsibly. He said that though the BJP and its allies had won a massive majority, the opposition is not allowing the House to run.