NEW DELHI, 26 July 2003 — A fresh initiative is under way to end the opposition’s boycott of Defense Minister George Fernandes in both houses of Parliament. If no new hiccups come up, the boycott is likely to end by Monday after a brief discussion takes place in the Rajya Sabha.
The initiative to end the boycott has apparently been taken by Rajya Sabha Chairman Bhairon Singh Shekhawat, who has forwarded to the government a motion submitted by senior Congress MP Suresh Pachauri
The motion broadly talks about the “slow progress of the Tehelka probe” and “inaction against the guilty persons”. The motion demands a short duration discussion on its earlier stand.
Earlier efforts to end the deadlock failed either on the question of language of the motion or the rule under which discussion was demanded. The opposition has been boycotting Fernandes since he was reinstated as Defense Minister in the Vajpayee government. Fernandes had resigned after the Tehelka expose, where allegations of corruption were made.
