Help common man, poor understand demonetisation: Ananth Kumar

Union Parliamentary Affairs Minister Anath Kumar on Wednesday requested the opposition parties to allow a debate on demonetisation to take place for the benefit of the under privileged sections of society.

"Already 10-11 days have passed and we have not done anything in both the houses of Parliament in the Lok Sabha and the Rajya Sabha and the entire nation is eager to watch and listen the deliberations of both houses of parliament," Kumar told the media.

"Prime Minister Modi's government has implemented a very historic economic reform and people want to hear about the benefits of this great move in both houses-- for the common man, for the poorer sections of the society, for the farmers and downtrodden and the privileged," Kumar added.

The minister further said, "We only request the opposition parties that it is high time that the debate should start because people also want to know what parliament thinks about it, what is the opinion of different political parties on this historic issue."

Proceedings in both houses of Parliament have been adjourned till now as the opposition continued to pressure the government on demonetisation and the terror attack in Nagrota, Jammu and Kashmir.

The opposition denounced Parliament for not paying homage to the martyrs. This took place even as Prime Minister Narendra Modi was present in the Lok Sabha.

"Combing operation is on. Let the full report come in. This is not a political issue. We have always been paying respect to martyrs," said Lok Sabha Speaker Sumitra Mahajan.

Similar scenes were witnessed in the Rajya Sabha with Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) supremo Mayawati alleging that the government is not sensitive to the lives lost on the border.

There was also a heated argument between Finance Minister Arun Jaitley and Janata Dal (United) leader Sharad Yadav in the Upper House.