NEW DELHI: The Opposition on Tuesday made it clear that it would not allow Parliament to function till the resignation of Natwar Singh came through. This was decided at a meeting of the National Democratic Alliance leaders on Tuesday morning.

Deputy leader of the Bharatiya Janata Party in the Lok Sabha V.K. Malhotra told reporters: "The NDA will reconsider its parliamentary strategy [of stalling proceedings] after Mr. Natwar Singh's resignation comes into effect. At the same time we will keep up the demand for the resignation of Sonia Gandhi from the National Advisory Council."

A similar impression was given by the NDA at a meeting in the chamber of Lok Sabha Speaker Somnath Chatterjee on Tuesday. The BJP apparently said it could consider speaking on the Volcker issue and allow others to have their say provided Leader of the House Pranab Mukherjee assured the House that Mr. Natwar Singh's resignation would be through as soon as the Prime Minister returned from Moscow on Wednesday.

The BJP also wanted an assurance that no one would raise the Babri Masjid issue.

Parliamentary Affairs Minister Priyaranjan Dasmunsi said the Congress and its allies had been far more transparent and accommodating of the Opposition point of view compared to the state of affairs during the NDA regime. Despite repeated demands, the NDA had prevented a discussion of the Tehelka affair, saying it could not be discussed as a commission was going into it. There had been no explanation from the former Prime Minister, Atal Bihari Vajpayee, on the floor of the House when the then Defence Minister, George Fernandes, was dropped and then re-inducted.

"Let the people judge"

"Their Prime Minister did not respond even once in Parliament on the Tehelka affair," Mr. Dasmunsi said. The Congress "boycotted" Mr. Fernandes' replies to questions in Parliament by walking out. But it did not disrupt proceedings or stop Parliament from functioning. "This is before everyone. Let the people judge," he said.

It was on the demand from the Opposition that Tuesday's business included a discussion on the internal security situation, but the members were not there to discuss it. The Opposition also prevented Parliament from discussing the floods in Tamil Nadu although a calling attention motion had been admitted by the Speaker and listed on the business agenda for the last two days, he said. "What the Opposition is doing is unprecedented and detrimental to the dignity of Parliament," Mr. Dasmunsi said.

Wednesday's agenda

The Government planned a discussion on Wednesday on issues that would come up at the World Trade Organisation meeting in Hong Kong. Commerce Minister Kamal Nath would brief the members about the issues, especially those related to agriculture. If Parliament were to be disrupted again on Wednesday, members would be denied that opportunity, he said.

Mr. Dasmunsi indirectly charged the BJP and the NDA with ignoring important issues. This view of the Government had been conveyed to the BJP leaders, he said, adding that he could only hope that "better sense will prevail."

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