Lok Sabha speaker's meeting inconclusive as Opposition sticks to PM statement demand

Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla's meeting with Opposition leaders remain inconclusive as the Opposition sticks to the demand of a statement from the Prime Minister followed by a debate without any time limit.

New Delhi:The meeting called for by the Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla aimed at breaking the logjam over the Manipur situation in the Parliament turned inconclusive, according to sources. Sources said the Speaker's meeting was held at his chambers at 12.30 pm and floor leaders from the Opposition parties attended it.

The Opposition parties did not choose the offer from the government that a statement will be made by the Home Minister and a debate thereafter on the same. The Opposition was adamant on debating the issue after an elaborate statement from Prime Minister Narendra Modi. Sources said the Opposition appears to be keen on pinning the government and to put PM Modi in the dock over the issue.

As the talks remained inconclusive, the LS Speaker suggested that the government and the Opposition should have more talks and both should work towards ending the deadlock so that the proceedings in the House run smooth. On Monday, the Opposition members were up on their feet soon after the House met for the day.

Om Birla requested the protesting members to resume their seats and not to resort to sloganeering. Birla asserted that the shouting of slogans despite the request will not provide any solution to the issues being raised. Birla urged the protesting members to allow the Question Hour to proceed terming it to be an important measure in the democracy and that several important matters were to be discussed.

Unrelenting Opposition members forced Birla to adjourn the session in just about 3 minutes into the session, and he has adjourned it to 2 pm later in the day. Subsequently, he had sent out invites to the floor leaders of the Opposition parties to meet him to apprise them of the solutions offered by the government to end the deadlock.