New Delhi, August 22
The Lok Sabha logjam entered its 10th consecutive day today with the government failing to push through food security bill despite giving in to the Opposition BJP’s demand of Prime Minister’s intervention in the missing coal file issue.

Strangely, while the Rajya Sabha resumed functioning after MoS Parliamentary Affairs Rajeev Shukla calmed the Opposition saying the Prime Minister may intervene in a scheduled discussion on the matter, a more definite assurance from his senior colleague Kamal Nath didn’t pay off in the Lower House where the listed food and land acquisition bills remained stalled.

Nath said in Lok Sabha today that the PM “will intervene” in a discussion on coal files after Coal Minister Sriprakash Jaiswal makes a statement.

But before the wrap up, the Lok Sabha witnessed dramatic scenes -- agitating TDP member N Sivaprasad pulling out a whip to lash himself; his colleague Venugopala Reddy ransacking Speaker’s podium; a Congress MP pulling away Speaker’s microphones causing a final adjournment of the Lok Sabha for the day. With the House clearly divided on suspension of protesters, Speaker Meira Kumar has called an all-party meeting tomorrow to find a way out. Meanwhile, the Congress accused the BJP of playing the politics of disruption in the Lower House to block the food bill. 

Congress spokesperson Sandeep Dikshit defended the move of bringing a suspension motion saying, “We brought the suspension motion with a heavy heart and as a last resort because we want the the House in order when the food bill is discussed. Obviously, there was consensus that it would be carried but the Opposition has surprised us.

They are playing politics in the Lok Sabha because the Lok Sabha is discussing the food bill. Why are they allowing the Rajya Sabha to run?” The Opposition parties in the Lok Sabha, however, said the government was deliberately resorting to moves that would invite disruption. “Who will support a suspension motion? Tomorrow any protesting MP will be suspended. That’s not the way.

Moreover, the agreement was on naming MPs and not suspend them,” BJD’s Bhartruhari Mahtab said. While naming requires an MP to remove himself from House for a day, suspension can be for an entire session. MPs facing suspension: TDP: K Nimmala, K N Rao, M Venugopala Reddy, N Sivaprasad Congress: A Sai Prathap, A Venkatarami Reddy, L Rajagopal, M Sreenivasulu Reddy, V Aruna Kumar and G V Harsha Kumar.