Demonetisation: Disruption, not debate is Opposition’s mantra, says Jaitley

In the Rajya Sabha, the opposition has been insisting on Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s presence in the upper house during the debate on demonetisation.

The Lok Sabha could not function today as Speaker Sumitra Mahajan rejected notices for an adjournment motion, prompting Opposition members to rush to the well and shout slogans.

The BJP-led NDA Government, which is facing flak post the demonetisation drive, will be holding parleys with the opposition parties on Thursday as efforts to break the ongoing deadlock in Parliament.

Members from the Congress, Samajwadi Party, Communist Party of India-Marxist, Communist Party of India, Janata Dal-United, Trinamool Congress, Nationalist Congress Party and DMK protested outside Parliament.

He also pointed out that several people had died across the country, while standing in queues at banks and ATMs. At this point, opposition Congress, BSP and TMC members rushed into the Well shouting slogans.

Hasn’t your notice now become infructuous as the PM has attended both Houses? “You (Speaker) should allow us the adjournment motion”, Kharge said yesterday.

Continuing her tirade against the Modi Government, West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee said she would also stage a dharna in Delhi on Wednesday and appealed to other Opposition parties to register their protest on the roads. He further asked government Why PM Modi to come in the parliament and why they don’t want to answer the nation.

TMC members carried placards with “Financial Emergency” written on them. But you can’t say I’ll hold up the debate and give the opposition a special opportunity to speak. “I allowed him to speak”. The ruling party benches in the House were largely empty.

She also added that she has accepted the resignation of Captain Amarinder Singh, Congress’s Lok Sabha member from Amritsar, Punjab, as of Wednesday. Ansari adjourns Rajya Sabha for another 30 minutes.

When the House reassembled, Agarwal (SP) alleged that Modi does not listen and such a “dictatorial attitude” has never been successful.

Speaking to reporters in Parliament, Finance Minister Arun Jaitely said that government had taken the “right steps” to curb black money and corruption, “which are being implemented in the right manner”.

“Opposition is for discussion and debate”. Citing BJP’s victory in the latest by-elections in Madhya Pradesh and Assam, he said it showed that the vote was for the Prime Minister’s initiatives.

He said he agreed with the objectives of the scheme to demonetise currency notes of Rs 500 and Rs 1000 as spelt out by the Prime Minister but he wished to highlight the problems that the common people and poor have been subjected to by the move. “The Constitution begins with “we the people” and the Prime Minister is disrespecting the same Constitution on whose basis he came to power”. “The government has a majority here, even if there is voting they will win”, he said. “It is because Prime Minster is afraid of his own people”, the Congress leader said. He spoke but nothing could be heard due to the din.

As the pandemonium continued, Mr. Kurien adjourned the proceedings till noon. Same situation was witnessed again at 2 pm and the House was adjourned for the day.