Note ban stalls both Houses second day

New Delhi: Amid chaos, pandemonium, slogans and counter-slogans over the government’s demonetisation scheme, both Houses of Parliament were stalled for the second day on Friday. Both the Rajya Sabha and Lok Sabha had to be adjourned repeatedly as the Opposition continued to disrupt proceedings.

In the Rajya Sabha, Congress members sought Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s response on the “harassment” and “inconvenience” being faced by citizens and began to shout slogans like “PM, sadan main aao” (PM, come to the House), while BJP members raised the nationalism issue, seeking an apology from Leader of the Opposition Ghulam Nabi Azad for having compared the deaths of some people over the demonetisation to the Uri terror strike. “Azad maafi mango,” the BJP members shouted in the Rajya Sabha. The Opposition also attacked the government on the Vijay Mallya issue, by raising slogans like “Vijay Mallya kahan gaye”. Well aware that the Congress-led Opposition was in no mood to let the Rajya Sabha function, the BJP members took the lead immediately after the listed papers were laid on the table, and walked into the  aisles raising slogans and demanding an apology from Mr Azad for his remarks on the deaths after the demonetisation with those killed in the Uri attacks. The remarks had been expunged by the Chair on Thursday.

The Congress members responded by rushing into the well too and seeking an apology from the Prime Minister and the government for the hardship caused to the common man. The AIADMK members stuck to their agenda and trooped into the well raising slogans over the Cauvery water issue.

In the chaos, minister of state for parliamentary affairs Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi played the nationalist card and  alleged that Mr Azad’s remarks had sent a signal that the Congress was sympathetic to terror. He sought to know why the Congress was angry as the demonetisation drive was targeted at black money hoarders.

While deputy chairman P.J. Kurien asked the AIADMK and Congress members to withdraw from the well, saying they would be allowed to raise their respective issues, BJP members refused to leave the aisle and kept raising slogans. The deputy chairman said the treasury benches should not create problems for the Chair.

“You should be cooperating with me in running the House. The treasury benches should not disrupt,” he said. But as the ruckus continued, he adjourned the proceedings till 11.30 am.

As the House reassembled, the situation remained the same, with the Congress and the BJP continuing to raise slogans and counter-slogans, so the House was again adjourned till noon.

In the Lok Sabha, The Congress and other Opposition parties pressed for a discussion on the demonetisation under a rule that entails voting, that too through an adjournment motion, which means the suspension of all business. However, Speaker Sumitra Mahajan rejected it, saying a debate could take place. Parliamentary affairs minister Ananth Kumar said the government was willing to discuss the issue and there was no need to press for an adjournment motion. As the din continued, the House was adjourned for nearly an hour till noon, minutes after it had assembled.

When the House assembled again for Zero Hour, the Opposition continued to press an adjournment motion, but the Speaker rejected all the notices. Urging the Opposition to take up the debate under Rule 193, that does not entail voting, Mr Kumar said the Opposition should not “run away” from a debate, and said it was up to the Chair to decide under which rule the discussion would take place. However, the Opposition members kept shouting “Pradhan Mantri sadan mein aao” and “Vijay Mallya kahan gaya”, forcing the Chair to adjourn the House for the day.