With only two days left in the Monsoon Session, the government and Opposition are still trying to find common ground on the issues that have kept Parliament largely stalled since July 20.
The government is willing to allow a discussion on student protests, the Ram Temple donation case and the proposed changes to the Foreign Contribution Regulation Act (FCRA), but has placed conditions on how some of these debates will proceed.
Government wants discussion before Amit Shah's reply
Government sources said Home Minister Amit Shah is prepared to respond to the student protests, but his reply would cover demonstrations in Opposition-ruled Punjab and Jharkhand as well.
The government has also told the Opposition that Shah's response should follow a proper debate rather than come as an isolated statement.
"Issuing a statement will only be a formality; we want proper discussion and not just a statement," government sources told India Today.
The Parliament deadlock began after police action during a July 20 student protest in central Delhi. The protesters were demanding the resignation of then Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan over alleged examination irregularities.
Pradhan resigned on July 30, but the Opposition continued to demand accountability over the police action, with reports and visuals of protesters suffering pellet injuries adding to the controversy.
Rahul Gandhi has repeatedly sought answers from Shah over who authorised the alleged firing during the protest.
"The question was never that Amit Shah is going to come and give a speech in Parliament. The question was always that Amit Shah has to make it clear who authorised the shooting in Delhi," Rahul said at a press conference on Monday.
Government open to Ram Temple debate
The government has also indicated that it is willing to allow a discussion on alleged irregularities involving donations to the Ram Temple in Ayodhya, reported India Today.
Rahul Gandhi has sought an apology from Prime Minister Narendra Modi to the affected students and demanded accountability over the donation issue. The Congress has described these demands as "non-negotiables" for ending the impasse.
FCRA Bill creates Opposition divide
The proposed FCRA amendments remain another point of disagreement. Parliamentary Affairs minister Kiren Rijiju has reportedly offered to send the Bill to a Joint Parliamentary Committee for scrutiny.
However, Opposition parties differ on what should happen next. Congress wants the Bill withdrawn, while the TMC has also shifted from seeking a JPC to demanding withdrawal. The DMK has called for either withdrawal or referral to a JPC, while the BJD wants the legislation examined by a JPC.
With the session ending on August 13, the government and Opposition have limited time to resolve the remaining issues.