Parliament Winter Session: TMC, JD(U), SP demand Question Hour suspension over black money issue

Three opposition parties called for a suspension of the Question Hour on the second day of the month-long Winter Session of Parliament on Tuesday over a demand for the repatriation of black money, and for introduction of amendments to the proposed Insurance Bill, and the appointment of the next CBI chief.

Reports said the Mamata Banerjee-led Trinamool Congress, the Janata Dal (United) and the Samajwadi Party submitted notices for the suspension of Question Hour in the Rajya Sabha to discuss the black money issue.

Trinamool Congress members protested outside Parliament on Tuesday morning, seeking a comprehensive debate on the black money issue. Trinamool Congress chief Mamata Banerjee has declared she would "politically retaliate" against her party being dragged into the Saradha Chit Fund scam.

The TMC's parliamentary party chief, Sudip Bandopadhyay, said, "If we don't get satisfactory answers, we will not allow Parliament to function".

The JD(U) warned that the the Winter Session of Parliament "will witness a lot of hungama (chaos)".

"Black money was one of the key poll planks in the Lok Sabha elections on which the BJP won, but the government has done nothing on this count since it came to power. We want a threadbare discussion on this," said JD(U) leader K C Tyagi, who gave the notice for discussion to Rajya Sabha on his party's behalf.

The Congress Party has repeatedly challenged the government on the issue.

In his last "Mann ki Baat" address on All India Radio, Prime Minister Narendra Modi had vowed to bring back "every penny of the poor man's money" stashed abroad, and said it was "an article of faith" for him.

But the government claims to have run up against a maze of clauses in international agreements that make it tough to "retrieve black money".

The Prime Minister's Office has now asked the revenue department to look for ways other than bilateral tax treaties to bring back funds stashed abroad.

The Narendra Modi-led NDA Government is aiming to introduce and take up 37 bills during the Winter Session of Parliament, but is likely to face stiff opposition over the Insurance Bill.

According to the bill, the foreign direct investment in insurance sector would be hiked from 26 per cent to 49 per cent. The Congress said it will not assure the government of its support and the Centre may give more time to select committee on insurance.

The opposition has also red flagged proposed changes to the MNREGA and Goods and Services Tax Bill.