PM Modi flays Opposition for ‘stalling’ note ban debate

New Delhi: Even as the Opposition flayed the government for hardships, including more than 80 deaths, caused due to “unplanned” demonetisation and demanded that Prime Minister Narendra Modi should apologise, the PM on Wednesday asserted that his government has brought “Jan Shakti” (people’s power) into prominence with the demonetisation decision. Speaking at the BJP’s Parliamentary party meeting, the PM attacked the Opposition for not agreeing to a debate in Parliament despite his presence in both Houses. Finance minister Arun Jaitley, who is also leader of the Upper House, accused the Opposition of using the Zero Hour to “get footage on TV” as opposed to listening to substantive facts on the demonetisation issue. He also dared the Opposition to resume the debate if “they had guts”.

Meanwhile, Shiv Sena chief Uddhav Thackeray also reached New Delhi, where he held a meeting of his party MPs on the demonetisation issue and is likely to meet the PM on Thursday. The Sena has been giving conflicting statements on the issue.

Outside Parliament, the  Opposition accused the Prime Minister of reducing India to a “banana republic” by imposing demonetisation and termed as “immature” Mr Jaitley’s remark on “TV footage”. Mr Yechury took a jibe at the PM and said, “It is only the Prime Minister who is seen on TV.”

The PM, at the meeting, asserted that the people have supported demonetisation and hit out at the Opposition parties, saying Parliament in the past had debated decisions of previous governments that had caused social tensions and conflict. However, this was not acceptable as the Opposition was stalling discussion on “major reform”.

Briefing reporters after the meeting, Parliamentary Affairs minister Ananth Kumar said Mr Modi asked MPs to spread awareness about a “less-cash” and digital economy in the same way they enroll people in voters’ lists during elections and highlight the use of EVMs irrespective of which party one votes for. Mr Modi’s message was for members of all political parties, Mr Kumar said.

“In a democracy, ‘jan shakti’ (people’s power) should be above ‘rajya shakti’ (state power). My government has brought this into prominence,” Mr Modi said, in a reference to people supporting demonetisation despite facing hardships. He also recalled how a large number of people gave up on their LPG subsidy on his call at a time when the debate was about whether 9 or 12 subsidised cylinders should be given annually to a household.

The BJP passed a resolution condemning opposition parties, mainly Congress and TMC, as it accused them of “shifting goal posts” over the issue and hailed the people of their country for their support.

In the Lok Sabha, proceedings were virtually washed out for the fifteenth straight day, with the Opposition carrying out noisy protests over the demonetisation issue, leading to two adjournments of the House before the Chair called it a day.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi was present in the House when it met in the morning as questions for the PMO were listed to be taken up during Question Hour. However, Mr Kumar rejected the Opposition demand for starting the discussion on demonetisation on a rule which entails voting, saying, “Voting has already taken place and it has gone in favour of the Prime Minister.” He then referred to the voting on Time magazine’s “Person of the Year” poll.

When the Rajya Sabha re-assembled at 2 pm after witnesssing two adjournments earlier, leader of Opposition Ghulam Nabi Azad wanted to know who was responsible for the death of at least 84 persons in hardships caused due to “unplanned” demonetisation, other opposition leaders like BSP’s Mayawati and SP’s Naresh Agarwal (SP) wanted Mr Modi to apologise for putting the common man through such hardship. Mr Azad pointed out that the revenue secretary Hasmukh Adhia had said that all the currency that was demonetised would come back to the formal banking system, implying there was no blackmoney or unaccounted wealth in the economy. “If all money was to come back, why was this high-handed decision taken,” the leader of Opposition asked.

Also, RBI has for the last 10 days stopped giving out deposits and exchanging old currency, he said wanting to know the reason why the Central bank has stopped the practice. The RBI, he said, should provide an update on the issue every day. Mr Azad also cited a reply to a question in the Rajya Sabha earlier this week where it was said that banks had enough currency. “If that is so, why are there queues in front of banks and ATMs?” he asked, adding, “Please don’t play with the sentiments of the people by making emotional statements,” he said referring the emotional speeches made by Mr Modi on the demonetisation issue.

Asserting that the government has already made it clear it was ready for a debate and the Prime Minister will make an intervention, Mr Jaitley said, “If the Opposition wants a debate, it should honestly tell us whether they want it or not. Let them not impose unreasonable and impossible conditions for the debate.” He accused the opposition of raising “unrealistic demands”, which has never been the practice in the House. He also raised a point of order asking how the Chair can allow an issue on which substantial portion of debate has happened, to be raised during Zero Hour again. Deputy chairman P.K. Kurien agreed with the Leader of the House and asked the Opposition benches if they were ready for a discussion.

“Now you have started raising conditions which have never been raised in the history of this House. It has never happened. There is no practice in the House, not a single practice that a member says that when he speaks the Prime Minister should be in the House....You have a right to presume that you have importance yourself. But there is no such precedence in the House since 1952 that the Prime Minister must be here to listen to every member. The Prime Minister has many responsibilities,” Mr Jaitley said.

Opposition members including CPI(M)’s Sitaram Yechury, Mr Agrawal and Congress’ Anand Sharma asserted that there were precedents in the House when during debates on 2G Spectrum and coal scams, the then Prime Minister Manmohan Singh sat through the entire debate.

Amid uproar, Mr Kurien then called for the Disabilities Bill to be taken up while agreeing with the demand raised by Social Justice Minister Thawarchand Gehlot. However, Opposition members including those from Congress and TMC started raising slogans and trooped into the Well, forcing the House to be adjourned for the day.