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Gujarat issue discussion in Lok Sabha to be followed by voting

However, the Rajya Sabha continued to remain paralysed for the seventh day in succession.

Rejecting the contention of the treasury benches, Deputy Speaker P M Sayeed, said, in his ruling admitting the motion, that the 'Gujarat situation cannot be construed as an ordinary law and order matter which is the concern only of the state government'.

"More importantly, I would urge all the members of the House to remind themselves of Article 355 of the Constitution according to which it shall be the duty of the Union to protect every state, inter alia, against internal disturbance and ensure that the government of every state is carried on in accordance with the provisions of this Constitution," he said.

"In the circumstances," he said in his six-page ruling, he admitted the notices of motion under Rule 184 and as per well established practice, Ramji Lal Suman (Samajwadi Party), whose motion having been received first in the point of time would be allowed to initiate the discussion.

Sayeed said the time for discussion may be decided by the Business Advisory Committee.

Earlier, BJP parliamentary party spokesman Vijay Kumar Malhotra said after a meeting of the group that the ruling coalition would abide by the Deputy Speaker's ruling.

Shortly after Sayeed's much-awaited ruling, the House resumed normal business and took up Question Hour after the whole of last week and Monday was lost in disruption over the mode of discussion on the Gujarat violence.

Sayeed said he had received 89 notices of motion under Rule 184 and seven notices of short duration discussion under Rule 193 seeking to discuss the situation that has been obtaining for some time now in Gujarat.

Sayeed had earlier convened a high-level meeting of leaders of parties on April 19, which was attended among others by the prime minister, leader of the opposition and other opposition leaders in the House.

However, the meeting had failed to come up with a solution to break the impasse forcing the Deputy Speaker to decide on the issue.

Meanwhile, the Gujarat issue continued to paralyse proceedings in the Rajya Sabha forcing adjournment of the House for the seventh successive day on Tuesday.

Chairman Krishan Kant adjourned the House for the day within minutes after it assembled as the opposition remained adamant on its demand for a discussion and voting on the Gujarat issue.

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