The Opposition on Thursday again derailed the functioning of the Rajya Sabha by changing its goalposts. For as many as eleven days, the Opposition had demanded the presence of Prime Minister Narendra Modi during the debate on demonentisation to allow the functioning of the House. But the presence of the PM in the RS on Thursday did not end the logjam as the Opposition came out with a new demand: Modi must apologise for his remarks that the Opposition parties support black-money holders.
When Modi walked into the Upper House at the beginning of the Question Hour, members of the Congress and those from the BSP and others trooped into the well of the House demanding apology from the PM and shouting slogans: “Pradhan Mantri mafi maango”.
On its part, the Government charged that the Opposition was trying to “waste’ the whole Winter Session even though Modi was present in the Rajya Sabha, a demand they had been making for resumption of debate on demonetisation. Agitated over this, I&B Minister Venkaiah Naidu said the Opposition has been exposed and the Congress should apologise for the 60 years of misrule. Minister of State for Parliamentary Affairs Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi too objected to the demand for apology by the PM questioning whether he should apologise for targeting black money hoarders.
Rajya Sabha Deputy Chairman PJ Kurien insisted that the Opposition’s demand was that Modi should be present and now since he is here, the discussion should start. With the protests showing no signs of abating, Kurien adjourned the House till Friday morning.
Modi remained present in the Upper House even during an adjournment of 15 minutes as members from various political parties, including some from the Opposition, were seen going to his seat to exchange pleasantries or for a chit-chat. As members kept meeting him, there were some lighter moments too as the Prime Minister was seen smiling at times. Modi returned even for post-lunch Session but the House was adjourned within minutes.
Amid Opposition’s demand for the presence of Modi through the debate on demonetisation, the Prime Minister reached the Upper House shortly before the Question Hour started as questions relating to Prime Minister’s Office were listed to be taken up.
As Chairman Hamid Ansari called for the first question of the day at noon, leader of Opposition Ghulam Nabi Azad said while the Prime Minister has been addressing his party MPs in Parliament House and even speaking outside, he was ignoring Opposition parties’ demand for his presence during the debate on demonetisation issue.
“We had been demanding for last 15 days (presence of PM)...We are against black money. We want to speak on this issue but with whomIJ Our anguish is that the Prime Minister is holding weekly meetings with his MPs in Parliament House. He is also speaking outside. Our demand is that the Prime Minister should be here and listen to us,” Azad said.
When the senior Congress leader alleged that the PM has remarked that the Opposition parties support black money holders and said it was a “big allegation”, BJP members protested the remark.
Sharad Yadav (JDU) said he too agreed that the debate should continue, but it “cannot be one-way traffic” and demanded that the Prime Minister should remain seated in the House all through the discussion. Congress leader Satyavrat Chaturvedi said that Modi never came to the House but always spoke outside Parliament.