logjam continued in Parliament on Monday over the demonetisation issue as a combined Opposition did not allow a discussion to take off in the lok Sabha for the fourth consecutive day, insisting debate should be under voting provision as it also disrupted the Rajya Sabha demanding that the House first condole the death of 70 people due to hardships caused by the demonetisation.
Both the Houses witnessed repeat adjournments — the Rajya Sabha six times and the lok Sabha twice — before being adjourned for the day.
In the lok Sabha, members of the Congress, the TMC, left parties, and the Aam Aadmi Party stormed into the Well of the House from the word go demanding admission of an adjournment motion to discuss the demonetisation of Rs1,000 and Rs500 notes under Rule 56 which ensures voting.
The bedlam started after the House condoled those killed in the Kanpur train mishap on Sunday. As against the persistent demand of the Opposition that the debate should be under rules mandating voting, Parliamentary Affairs Minister Ananth Kumar said the Government was ready for the debate if the Opposition allowed the discussion under Rule 193 that does not entail voting or passage of a resolution. The Opposition, however, rejected the proposal.
In the Rajya Sabha, a determined Opposition did not allow the House to function demanding it first condole the death of 70 people due to hardships caused by the demonetisation of Rs 500 and Rs 1,000 currency notes. The government said the Opposition was disrupting the proceedings as it did not have any logical arguments to put forward in the ongoing debate in the House on demonetisation.
Soon after the RS condoled the death of passengers killed in the Indore-Patna Express on Sunday, Sitaram Yechury((CPI-M) said the Chair should come with an obituary reference over the death of 70 persons who died while standing in the queues to either withdraw or deposit money.
This provoked some BJP members to rush into the aisle while Congress members raised slogans. leader of Opposition Ghulam Nabi Azad said while the House mourned the death of those killed in the rail accident, members should also condole the death of those who died in the last few days following harassment caused by demonetisation. He also sought the presence of the Prime Minister in the House.
leader of the House and Finance Minister Arun Jaitley said a discussion on demonetisation had started last week and wondered “why are they (Opposition parties) running away from debate. This is clear now that the Opposition is not ready for debate and is coming up with new excuses to disrupt the House.”
However, backing Yechury, Mayawati (BSP) said people have died standing in queues because of hunger, want of medicines and waiting for currency for marriage
Amid sloganeering from the treasury and the Opposition, Deputy Chairman PJ Kurien virtually rejected Yechury's proposal for an obituary reference and said it cannot be taken up suo moto. Moreover, there was no authentication of deaths due to demonetisation, he said adding the obituary cannot be demanded.
As the House reassembled at 2.00 pm, the Opposition members raised the demonetisation issue while protesting that the Government had “sent a junior minister” to make a statement on the the rail accident.
While the Congress members again rushed into the well, Minister of State for Railways Rajen Gohain read out the statement on the train mishap. After a Congress MP tore a copy of the statement and bedlam continued, the Chair finally adjourned the House for the day shortly after 3.00pm.
Congress vice-president Rahul Gandhi was present in the lok Sabha. While NCP MPs in the lower house were standing in the aisle supporting other Opposition members over the demonetisation issue, AIADMK members were also on the aisles raising the issue of Tamil fishermen injured allegedly in firing by Sri lankan Navy.
When some TMC members holding banners reading “Financial Emergency” tried to come near HRD Minister Prakash Javadekar who was replying a question related to his Ministry “, an upset Mahajan told the Opposition that she would tell the lok Sabha TV authorities to show them on the TV screen and asked them not to disturb the Minister.
Congress leader in the lok Sabha Mallikarjun Kharge, however, told the Speaker that they were protesting in the House not to come on TV but due to the “sufferings” of the common people. At noon when the House met for Zero Hour after adjournment, the din continued even as Railway Minister Suresh Prabhu made a suo motu statement on train mishap. Deputy Speaker M Thambidurai adjourned it for the day immediately at 2 pm when it reassembled as the Congress members rushed to the well of the House.