Parliamentary Affairs Minister Kiren Rijiju met Leader of the Opposition in the Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi on Wednesday (August 5, 2026) in an effort to break the parliamentary deadlock, with the two sides discussing the proposed delimitation Bill and the Foreign Contribution (Regulation) Amendment (FCRA) Bill, 2026.
Amid speculation that the government could convene a three-day session after Independence Day to push through the women’s reservation Bill and the delimitation Bill, Mr. Rijiju told The Hindu that “there is no such proposal”.
Sources said Mr. Rijiju did not raise any proposal to extend the ongoing Monsoon Session or convene a Special Session during the nearly 50-minute meeting with Mr. Gandhi. Instead, he sought the Congress leader’s views on the party’s stand on delimitation, they said.
According to sources, Mr. Gandhi conveyed to Mr. Rijiju that a statement by Home Minister Amit Shah on the police action against students who protested against the NEET paper leak and a discussion on the alleged theft of donations at the Ram Temple in Ayodhya were non-negotiable if the House was to function.
The Congress leaders also reiterated their opposition to any constitutional amendment to carry out the delimitation exercise, sources added.
The meeting, held in Mr. Gandhi’s Parliament office, was attended by Congress general secretary (organisation) K.C. Venugopal, deputy leader in the Lok Sabha Gaurav Gogoi and Wayanad MP Priyanka Gandhi Vadra.
The government’s outreach came on a day when Opposition MPs held a symbolic march within the Parliament complex, questioning Mr. Shah’s continued absence from the House.
Both Houses witnessed repeated disruptions before being adjourned for the day.
The Wednesday (August 3) meeting was the second between Mr. Rijiju and Mr. Gandhi in the past 10 days. The Parliamentary Affairs Minister had also spoken to the Congress leader over the telephone on Tuesday (August 4) night as part of the government’s efforts to secure Opposition cooperation during the remainder of the Monsoon Session.
Sources said Mr. Shah was expected to reply to the debate when the FCRA Bill comes up for discussion and passage. “The LoP has made it very clear that they cannot bring the FCRA Bill in this form,” Mr. Venugopal told reporters after the meeting.
“Now you see, the mood of Narendra Modi will change within a minute. If the Indian Opposition says something, he will not listen, but this kind of diktat is coming from foreign country, they will now...,” he added, when asked about U.S. Congressman Riley M. Moore’s social media post criticising the FCRA.
The Bill is considered contentious because it empowers a government-appointed authority to take over foreign-funded assets of organisations whose FCRA registration ceases, a provision that the Opposition says gives the Centre sweeping powers over NGOs and religious institutions.
However, there was no clarity on whether the delimitation Bill would be introduced during the current session, which is scheduled to conclude on August 13. Sources also ruled out, for now, the possibility of a Special Session immediately after Independence Day.
The government is understood to be assessing the political support available for reviving the delimitation Bill, a Constitution amendment Bill requiring a two-thirds majority in Parliament. It could not muster the required numbers when it attempted to move the legislation during the Budget Session.
Since the Monsoon Session began on July 20, the Lok Sabha has failed to transact Question Hour even once because of repeated disruptions. Five Bills have been passed without debate as the Opposition has pressed for discussions on the NEET paper leak, the police action against protesting students and the alleged theft of donations at the Ram Temple in Ayodhya, while demanding statements from Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Mr. Shah.
Published - August 06, 2026 12:22 am IST
Indian National Congress / Bharatiya Janata Party / parliament / Lok Sabha / Rajya Sabha
Source: The Hindu - India News
