The Government on Monday indicated it was serious about breaking the eight-day long impasse in Parliament with Home Minister Rajnath Singh telling the lok Sabha that Prime Minister Narendra Modi will speak on demonetisation in the House as demanded by the Opposition. Speaker Sumitra Mahajan also expressed hope that the logjam in the House may break “in a day or two”.
But the Opposition remained adamant on its key demand that debate should be held with a provision for voting, forcing both the Houses to be adjourned time and again before they were adjourned for the day.
A flicker of hope that the House may resume functioning came from the Speaker’s comment that the deadlock may end in a “day or two” as the Government as well as the Opposition parties want discussion to take place.
“I am trying. I am repeatedly requesting as well. I hope that it (Parliament) will function. Both the parties, the ruling party and the opposition, are ready for discussion, both want discussion. Under which rule it has to be done has to be discussed. I think in the next one or two days, it will start (functioning),” she told newsperson when asked about the possibility of a breakthrough.
The Rajya Sabha saw three adjournments between 11 am and 2 pm, before the final adjournment for the day. The lok Sabha was adjourned twice before being adjourned till Tuesday at 2.10 pm.
In the lok Sabha, a number of Opposition leaders, including Mallikarjun Kharge (Cong), Sudip Bandhopadhyay (TMC) and Mulayam Singh Yadav (SP), pressed for acceptance of their demand for an Adjournment Motion and debate under a rule that entails voting. They also demanded the presence of the Prime Minister during the debate.
Addressing the House, Home Minister Rajnath Singh said the Prime Minister will speak on demonetisation if the Opposition wanted but the debate should take place under the rule decided by the Speaker.
Rajnath said it was clear that nobody was questioning the Government’s intentions over demonetisation or imputing any malafide. “It is a historic, courageous and pro-poor decision,” he said, adding that it there are complaints on account of implementation of demonetisaion “we are ready for discussion and take suggestions” from all.
Even as he was speaking, Opposition members trooped into the Well and shouted slogans.
“As far as the Prime Minister coming to the House is concerned, if the Opposition wants he will come and intervene,” he assured the Opposition.
However, as the uproar continued, the Speaker adjourned the House till 2 pm and thereafter for the day.
Earlier, Kharge said demonetisation had harmed the economic system, the farmers, the youth, labourers and women among others who are in distress. He cited the incident of a Union Minister facing difficulty in paying hospital bills after his brother died and said it was an evidence of the extent of the crisis. He was referring to Sadanand Gowda who faced the problem.
AK Bandhopadhyay of Trinamool said the Government must take initiative to break the impasse as “people will ask what Parliament stands for, if it is adjourned everyday”.
Supporting Kharge, Mulayam Singh said if Modi did not come to the House on such an important matter, when he will come. Farmers are facing a lot of problems. Jai Prakash Narayan Yadav (RJD) called the decision impractical and anti-people.
An AIADMK member said the Government should take initiative to ease people’s sufferings, while B Mahtab (BJD) said the onus was on the Centre to take steps to break the impasse.
Anandrao Adsul of BJP ally Shiv Sena targeted Opposition parties, saying neither ‘Bharat Bandh’ nor ‘Aakrosh Diwas’, which different parties had announced for Monday, was visible.
He, however, lamented that the recent announcement of the Centre that NABARD would disburse Rs 21,000 crore to cooperative banks has not been implemented. The announcement had come after an unhappy Sena delegation had met the PM.
Earlier in the day, the House expressed its condolences over the death of Cuban revolutionary leader Fidel Castro.
In the Rajya Sabha, soon after the House mourned the death of Castro and the listed papers were laid, Naresh Agrawal (SP) said nationwide protest ‘Aakrosh Divas’ is being observed Monday against demonetisation that has caused hardships to common man.
leaders of other Opposition parties including Mayawati of BSP, Derek O’Brien of TMC, Sitaram Yechury of CPI(M) and Anand Sharma of Congress joined in.
leader of Opposition Ghulam Nabi Azad said the nation was seething in anger over the hardship and harassment because of the announcement made by the Prime Minister on November 8.
Soon Congress and TMC members trooped into the well of the House shouting slogans against the Prime Minister. Ruling benches also joined him by shouting slogans favouring start of a discussion on the issue.
I&B Minister M Venkaiah Naidu rose to state that the discussion which had started on the opening day of the Winter Session of Parliament on November 16 and has not yet concluded, should be resumed, instead of such disruption of proceedings.
Deputy Chairman PJ Kurien agreed with the suggestion of Naidu but the din continued, forcing him to adjourn the proceedings for half an hour. Similar scenes were witnessed in the House after it reassembled forcing chair to adjourn the House for the day.
Meanwhile, Union Minister Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi took a swipe at the Opposition parties over their ‘Aakrosh Divas’ protest, saying their anger was not over demonetisation, but over Centre’s “blockade” of black money.
“Aakrosh (anger) is not against ‘Notebandi’ but against Nakebandi (blockade) of black money,” the Minister of State for Minority Affairs (Independent Charge) and Parliamentary Affairs tweeted.