Rijiju meets Rahul to end Parl logjam

New Delhi: Parliamentary Affairs Minister Kiren Rijiju met Rahul Gandhi to seek cooperation for smooth Lok Sabha proceedings and discussed the Delimitation and Women’s Reservation Bills.

Rahul Gandhi conveyed that Union Home Minister Amit Shah’s statement on NEET paper leak violence and a discussion on alleged Ram Temple donation theft are non-negotiable for the House to function. The Lok Sabha has faced continuous disruptions since July 20, with five bills passed without discussion and the Question Hour frequently interrupted. Rijiju plans to engage with other Opposition leaders, including Akhilesh Yadav, to find a resolution to the ongoing parliamentary deadlock. He went to Gandhi’s office in the Parliament complex for the meeting, during which Congress MP Priyanka Gandhi Vadra was also present. Congress Lok Sabha Deputy Leader Gaurav Gogoi and party general secretary K C Venugopal also joined the meeting later. 

Rijiju did not bring up any proposal to extend the ongoing session or call a special one during his meeting with Gandhi, which lasted for about 50 minutes, but the minister sought the Congress leader’s views on the Opposition’s stand on the delimitation issue, the sources said.

While there is no clarity yet on whether the Delimitation Bill will be brought in this session itself before it concludes on August 13, sources said Shah will speak in Parliament when the Foreign Contribution (Regulation) Amendment Bill, 2026 is introduced in the House for discussion and passage.

The Opposition has been questioning Shah’s absence from the House proceedings. This is the second time that Rijiju has met Gandhi in the past 10 days. The minister had also made a telephonic call to Gandhi on Tuesday night.

The Opposition parties initially protested over the NEET paper leaks and alleged theft of donations at the Ayodhya Ram temple. They later pressed for a discussion on police action against students protesting over the NEET paper leak and also demanded the presence of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and the Home Minister and their statements. On Wednesday too, the Lok Sabha was adjourned till 2 pm following Opposition uproar in the Lower House. The House was later adjourned for the day.

There has been speculation that the government may convene a brief special session soon after the Independence Day weekend.