Senior ministers in the Narendra Modi government met on Monday to discuss the option of pushing some key legislation amid the din as a united Opposition continued to stall Parliament proceedings demanding a discussion on the special intensive revision (SIR) of electoral rolls in Bihar.
Defence minister Rajnath Singh, health minister J.P. Nadda, commerce minister Piyush Goyal and parliamentary affairs minister Kiren Rijiju held a long meeting in Parliament as the Lok Sabha was adjourned minutes after it had assembled for the day at 11am.
The Treasury benches remained firm against a discussion on the SIR, arguing that the exercise was being carried out by the Election Commission and the government can’t respond on behalf of another constitutional body. The Opposition, too, adopted an equally firm stand to continue with their protests.
As both Houses were adjourned on Monday, Rijiju indicated that the government could opt for pushing through legislation amid the impasse, seeking to blame the Opposition. While the Lok Sabha was adjourned because of Opposition protests against the SIR, the Rajya Sabha was adjourned following the demise of sitting member Shibu Soren.
"Today, it was decided to discuss two very important bills, the National Sports Governance Bill and the National Anti-Doping Amendment Bill, in the Lok Sabha, but the Opposition disturbed the House…. Sometimes, when an important bill has to be passed and we have no other option, it is passed without a discussion," Rijiju told reporters. "The government doesn’t want to pass any bill without a discussion, we haven’t done so till now,” he added.