Opposition storm over PNB, stir by TDP stalls both Houses

New Delhi: Acrimony marked the first day of Budget Session’s resumption on Monday as both Houses of Parliament failed to transact any business due to vociferous protests by Opposition members seeking a discussion on the  PNB fraud. The ruling NDA government’s ally Telugu Desam Party (TDP) added to the ruckus by demanding special status for Andhra Pradesh, forcing both the Lok Sabha and the Rajya Sabha to be adjourned for the day.

Immediately after Speaker Sumitra Mahajan made obituary references in the morning after the Lok Sabha assembled for the day, members from the Congress, Telangana Rashtra Samithi (TRS) and other parties as well as from the TDP, trooped into the Well of the House raising various issues.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi was present in the Lok Sabha when the protests started.

Amid unruly scenes and slogan-shouting by the Opposition and TDP members, who were holding placards, Ms Mahajan adjourned the House at 11.08 am till noon.

However, noisy scenes and protests continued when the House met again at noon, forcing the Speaker to adjourn the proceedings for the day.

This was the first day the Lok Sabha met after the recess of the Budget session.

Before the start of the day’s proceedings, BJP members were seen clapping when Mr Modi walked into the House. With folded hands he greeted the members.  

As the BJP and its allies captured power in the three North Eastern states, many of the saffron party MPs were seen wearing Assamese scarf known as gamosa.

Holding placards, Congress members trooped into the well, raising the banking scam. Trinamul Congress members also highlighted the PNB fraud.

The Congress demanded a reply from the Prime Minister on the whereabouts of diamond trader Nirav Modi, one of the alleged kingpins of the `12,700 crore fraud involving PNB.

TDP members stood in the well demanding a special package for Andhra Pradesh while those from the TRS sought an increase in reservation limit in Telangana.

Later, at a meeting of the Lok Sabha’s business advisory committee chaired by the Speaker, representatives of the Congress, Trinamul and the BJD insisted that the debate on the banking fraud should be taken up at noon on Tuesday for four hours and other issues should come up for discussion after that.

An Opposition member, who was present at the meeting, said that parliamentary affairs minister Ananth Kumar made it clear that the government was open to discussing all issues, but there was no word on whether the debate on the banking scam would take place on Tuesday after the Question Hour.

The banking scam also rocked the Rajya Sabha which was adjourned for the day amid uproar by the Opposition. TDP members raised the issue of special status for Andhra Pradesh.

The BJP also moved an adjournment motion notice to debate “reports of corrupt practices indulged in by relatives of former ministers under tacit protection by ministers,” after the arrest last week of Congress leader P. Chidambaram’s son Karti Chidambaram.

As soon as the Upper House met at 2 pm after witnessing two quick adjournments in the first half of the day, members from the Opposition parties sought answers on Nirav Modi and the constitution of the Cauvery Water Management Board.

Amid slogans by the Opposition like “Nirav Modi wapas lao” (bring back Nirav Modi), Deputy Chairman P.J. Kurien, who was in the Chair, urged members with folded hands not to disrupt the proceedings.

However, noisy protests continued amid Mr Kurien’s remarks that “you are all agitated on separate issues. I know each subject is very important”.

He said if members allow, a short duration discussion can be held on frauds in public sector banks and after that different issues could be taken up one by one.

However, members relentlessly shouted slogans and displayed placards like “Constitute Cauvery Management Board Immediately”, “Keep your promises” and “Implement special category status under Andhra Pradesh Reorganisation Act”.

Stating that this amounted to “indiscipline”, Mr Kurien asked Leader of the Opposition Ghulam Nabi Azad whether the Opposition will allow a discussion, to which the Congress leader said that if other parties are ready, they have no objection.

Mr Azad said that the government and the Prime Minister had “failed” and banks are without money while likes of Nirav Modi were absconding.

Mr Kurien then adjourned the House for the day. Earlier, proceedings were disrupted twice and the House saw two adjournments — first for 10 minutes and then a longer one till 2 pm.