New Delhi: BJP on Wednesday claimed an "internal conflict" between Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and Congress chief Sonia Gandhi on crucial issues is preventing conduct of serious business in Parliament including a debate on the food bill.
"There is an ongoing internal conflict between Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and Sonia Gandhi... Due to this there is no floor coordination (in the Treasury Benches) in Parliament," BJP spokesperson Shahnawaz Hussain said.
Issues which are dear to the Prime Minister are not supported by the Congress President and vice versa, he added.
He alleged that due to this the Parliamentary Affairs Minister and other ministers are not aware of what the ruling party feels on an issue.
BJP claimed that this is reason behind the government "running away" from a debate on the Food Security Bill.
The party said Congress was also using the Telangana issue as a shield to avoid a debate on the Bill. Congress MPs from Andhra Pradesh who are opposed to Telangana disrupt the House and force adjournments, the party alleged.
"Congress MPs from Andhra Pradesh walk into the Well of the House to disrupt proceedings. Yesterday the Parliamentary Affairs Minister had said that running the House is everybody`s responsibility. We have cooperated but the country has witnessed how the House did not function due to the Congress," Hussain said.
The main Opposition alleged the government is only engaged in "public posturing" that it favours passage of the food bill but this is not borne out by its conduct in the House.
"If the government was honest about passing the Food Security Bill they would have a debate. When Congress members are speaking the Seemandhra MPs from the ruling party vanish but when our MPs start speaking they appear and start protesting," Hussain said.
"Congress is scared of a debate on the Bill and is running away from it," Hussain said, adding that BJP is ready for a discussion on the issue.
PTI
