Vinay Kumar
NEW DELHI: Briefing the opposition parties about his discussion with parliamentary affairs minister Kiren Rijiju on the delimitation bill a day earlier, LoP Rahul Gandhi Thursday said he told govt that the opposition stand remains the same, and that women’s reservation should be introduced in the current strength of Lok Sabha of 543 MPs.Opposition also discussed FCRA bill, where members expressed ignorance about its final contents. But the parties remain implacably opposed to the legislation that they have slammed as targeting religious minorities, especially Christians. Interestingly, a senior member told the gathering that govt may remove the objectionable clause on “retrospective effect”. Some touched upon the reports that US is opposed to the bill.A few allies argued that opposition should join the discussion if govt puts FCRA bill on agenda. But the issue remains uncertain in the wake of the ongoing opposition protests. Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge reiterated that normal functioning of Parliament depends on the twin demands that home minister Amit Shah make a statement on police crackdown on Jantar Mantar protesters and issue an apology, and the PM makes a statement on Ayodhya donation theft.
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Congress MPs KC Venugopal and Hibi Eden termed the FCRA bill as targeting the Christian charities besides religious minorities.CPM MP John Brittas said, “We are opposed to this bill as it stifles minority groups and civil society. It reflects a pattern as seen in waqf bill.”Kharge informed the allies that the minister had invited him for discussion, but he was out of station. TNN
