CPI-M blames government for parliament impasse

A day after both houses were adjourned sine die in the wake of opposition protests, the CPI-M Thursday blamed the government for the paralysis of parliament.

A commentary in People's Democracy, the CPI-M official weekly paper, said the government's failure to accept basic opposition demands was a key reason for repeated disruptions.

"Much of the disruption can be avoided if the government rises to the occasion to consider the issues raised by the opposition," it said.

"At the same time, unreasonable demands by the opposition should also not be allowed to stall parliamentary proceedings.

"Indeed, the time has come for us to seriously consider an amendment to the constitution mandating a compulsory at least a hundred days of parliamentary sittings in a calendar year."

The CPI-M said the "grievous distortions of our constitutional schemes of things" needed immediate correction.

"The government of the day cannot be allowed to continue being non-accountable to the parliament," it said.

"This requires the parliament to function properly. This in turn requires of the government to accept the legitimate demands of the opposition, as in this case, the resignation of the concerned ministers."

Opposition members have been seeking the resignation of central ministers Ashwani Kumar and Pawan Kumar Bansal over acts of impropriety.