With the Congress continuing its agitation in Parliament and outside Speaker Sumitra Mahajan’s residence on Wednesday, no resolution to the impasse seemed likely.
Although the BJP issued an appeal to the Congress to return to the House, in the absence of any substantive offer, it was unlikely to soothe feathers in the principal Opposition.
“We appeal to the Congress to come back to the House and let Parliament function. People are distressed over the disruptions in the House and we should find a way. We respect the Opposition. But they too have a responsibility to make the House function,” Telecom Minister Ravi Shankar Prasad said.
The Rajya Sabha failed to conduct any business for the 11th day in succession. The Lok Sabha proceedings were held amid empty Opposition benches with only a few MPs of the Biju Janata Dal and the AIADMK making an appearance.
Meanwhile, leaders of six other Opposition parties joined the Sonia Gandhi-led Congress dharna in Parliament complex against suspension of its 25 MPs. Sharad Yadav and KC Tyagi of the JD(U), Dharmendra Yadav of the Samajwadi Party, Jaya Prakash Narayan Yadav of the RJD, P Karunakaran of the CPI(M), D Raja of the CPI and E Ahamed of the IUML were among other leaders who participated in the protests.
A vociferous Congress chief raised slogans along with other protestors denouncing the Narendra Modi dispensation. “End dictatorship”, “Prime Minister break silence”, “Where have the achhe din gone”, “Sushma Swaraj resi-gn”, were the slogans raised by the protestors who also carried black flags. “We will continue the agitation tomorrow,” Gandhi told reporters.