Under Opposition fire ever since it demonetised notes of higher denomination, the government Wednesday reached out to rivals, seeking a discussion to end the deadlock in Parliament where protests have washed out proceedings for a week now. Opposition floor leaders gave no immediate commitment and said they would take a call Thursday.
Sources said Parliamentary Affairs Minister Ananth Kumar spoke to Ghulam Nabi Azad, Leader of Opposition in Rajya Sabha, and leaders of the CPM, Trinamool Congress, BSP and Samajwadi Party and invited them for a meeting to be chaired by Home Minister Rajnath Singh in an attempt to end the impasse.
Azad, sources said, told the government that the Congress cannot take a decision on its own and will consult the other Opposition parties Thursday morning on the government proposal for a meeting.
The move came on a day which saw 14 Opposition parties staging a joint protest on the premises of Parliament House. Opposition parties have called for a nationwide protest, Jan Aakrosh Diwas, on November 28 against what they called the government’s disastrous implementation of its demonetisation move.
