CPI-M blames Modi for logjam, terms absence contempt of Parliament

The CPI-M on Tuesday blamed Prime Minister Narendra Modi for continued disruptions in Parliament over demonetisation, and held his continued absence from both Houses amounted to "contempt" of Parliament.

"If the discussion is on one of Prime Minister's announcements, he should be there to listen to the debate...It is incumbent upon Prime Minister to come to both Houses on day one itself. But he is still not doing so," Communist Party of India Marxist (CPI-M) General Secretary Sitaram Yechury said at a press conference here.

"He is in Parliament premises but doesn't come to the House. This amounts to contempt of Parliament," he stressed, adding that his party was contemplating to move contempt notice against the Prime Minister after consulting the entire opposition.

"We are considering the legalities of this move, and we consult the entire opposition on this tomorrow. Then in a day or two we may move the contempt notice," said Yechury, who is also a Rajya Sabha MP.

On stalling the upper House, he demanded that the government acknowledge that over 70 people have died following its move to demonetise higher denomination notes.

"If the Parliament is not functioning, the entire blame lies on the Prime Minister who is not ready to address the Parliament due to arrogance," Yechury said.

He called the demonetisation move an attack on people's right to property and said the government must own up to the responsibility of the over 70 people that have died post the November 8 announcement of the demonetisation of Rs 500 and Rs 1,000 currency notes.

"There is complete financial anarchy. The step was taken without the President's consent and without Parliament's approval.

"This is an abnormal situation where people cannot use their own money. How can you deny me using my own property. This is an attack on the people's right to property," he said adding that a myth was being created that the people are actually hailing the move.

"It is like promising all the sheep to give a blanket and then skinning them for the wool needed . That is what the Prime Minister has done.

"We are going to take the issue to the people through people protests," said Yechury, adding the Left parties would meet to decide on the call for the opposition parties MPs to stage a demonstration outside parliament on Wednesday.

--IANS

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