Meaningful debates is Congress motto

Both Houses of Parliament on Wednesday transacted business as Opposition wised up to debate value, deciding to debate issues to corner the government rather opting for disruptive tactics. Both the Houses witnessed tumultuous protests by a united Opposition over the past two days raising fears of a wash-out. While the Lok Sabha passed a bill to grant statutory status to the Indian Institutes of Information Technology (IIITs) in PPP mode and also debated "agrarian distress", the issue of lynchings resonated the Rajya Sabha.

At an Opposition meeting on Wednesday morning , senior Opposition leaders felt the disruptions didn't have the desired effect on ground, so "meaningful debates" in Parliament would fetch better political dividends than halting proceedings. The issues of Indian hostages in Mosul, cow vigilantism, India-China border standoff were also raised by MPs. "We really want both the Houses to function normally. So we can expose them (ministers), no matter how lavishly they are celebrating the completion of three years," said Leader of Opposition in Rajya Sabha Ghulam Nabi Azad. "There won't be any disruption if the government agrees to a debate," he told dna.

"The BJP is manipulating our documents which include the list of issues for discussion and is dubbing it as an instrument to disrupt Parliamentary business," said Congress spokesperson Randeep Singh Surjiwala.

One the third day of the monsoon session, the members of the Opposition belonging to the Congress, the Trinamool Congress (TMC), Left, the Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) and the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) staged a walkout in the Lok Sabha after the House met at noon after the first adjournment. As the House resumed, in the Zero Hour, Congress leader Mallikarjun Kharge demanded immediate discussion on farmers' plight and suicides.

Parliamentary Affairs Minister Ananth Kumar also pleaded with the Opposition members saying the Government is committed for welfare of farmers.