Opposition parties cried foul over the move of passage of Finance Bill without discussion in lok Sabha on Wednesday with the Congress terming it as a Black Day in Indian democracy. Talking to reporters outside the Parliament, AICC spokesperson and party MP Jyotiraditya Scindia said, “Today is a black day for democracy. The way the biggest financial documents of the country was passed in the lok Sabha amid din without any discussion or without seeking any views from the Opposition parties is a blot on Indian democracy.”
Scindia said from day one of the session, the Opposition has been saying that they want a discussion on issues of public importance but the Government was running away from discussing these issues.
The lok Sabha passed without discussion the Finance Bill 2018 and a Rs89.25 lakh crore spending plan for the next fiscal year beginning April 1, all in a matter of 25 minutes during which opposition parties shouted slogans and created the din.
Congress, Trinamool, DMK, RJD, SP, left, NCP among others had submitted a memorandum to the Speaker, objecting to what it called was government’s “arrogance and unilateral move to bulldoze all financial business without discussing them in the House”.
Accusing the Government of not being interested in talking to the Opposition to resolve the ongoing standoff, Scindia said, ‘though the Speaker convened an all party meeting to resolve the impasse, the Government did not even once call the Opposition parties for discussion. If this is not the evidence of the arrogance of the Government then what isIJ
“It is probably the first time in recent years that the lok Sabha had not discussed and voted even a single ministry’s demand for grants (spending plan). In the recent past, Union budgets were passed without discussion in 2013-14 and 2003-04 when, like today, all demands were guillotined,” said AICC chief spokesman Randeep Surjewala.