Cong to let George have his say

The Government, on its part, has been quick to announce it’s ‘‘looking into the matter’’ so that a discussion can take place on Monday in Rajya Sabha. In the Lok Sabha, Speaker Manohar Joshi too indicated that the boycott issue was being settled. He told the House during question hour: ‘‘The issue has to be resolved. Next week, the issue may be closed.’’ He made the observation after several members objected to the Opposition walkout and pointed out that many of them had even put in questions for the minister.

On why the Government was keen to discuss an issue which it hadn’t permitted all these months, Parliamentary Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj said: ‘‘The Opposition insisted on a separate rule and separate language. The RS chairman has given us a few motions, including one by Suresh Pachouri (Congress) under Rule 176 for a short duration discussion… These motions are already admitted as ‘no-day-yet-named motions’. We are looking into these motions. If all parties agree, then there can be a discussion on Monday.’’

Pachouri’s motion, according to Swaraj, wants the Government to explain the slow progress of the Tehelka inquiry and why no action has been taken against the guilty. In the Government’s view, this is better than the earlier motions which either named George or sought his dismissal.

The Defence Minister was scheduled to make a statement in the Rajya Sabha today on the attack on the Tanda camp but it was put off. The Government hopes the boycott will have ended when Fernandes finally makes the statement.

During the Budget session, the Congress went to the extent of sacking its LS whip, Jagmeet Singh Brar, for a calling attention motion for Fernandes. But many Congressmen have felt that the boycott had already served its purpose of protesting against the continuance of Fernandes after the Tehelka expose. It was felt that the boycott was also robbing the Congress the chance to raise key security-related issues, especially in view of the general elections next year. ‘‘It was a kind of a satyagraha where we had foregone our right to raise issues. Now we have exhausted the scope of this strategy,’’ said Congress chief spokesperson Jaipal Reddy.