NEW DELHI, Oct. 21 -- Union Parliamentary Affairs Minister Kiren Rijiju blamed the Congress Party and the leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi for creating impediments in the passage of the 33% women's reservation bill. He said the principal opposition party refuses to engage with the government on the issue.

In an interview to HT, Rijiju said, while all other opposition parties have had discussions with the government and put forth their concerns, the Congress has repeatedly turned down the invite to talk.

Edited excerpts

A The Constitution has not prescribed the provisions to prorogue Parliament sessions. It has been a convention that after the House is adjourned, then normally you prorogue the House. But if the governm...