Only chaos on penultimate day of Parliament's winter session (Third Lead)

Chaos reigned on Thursday, the penultimate day of the winter session of Parliament, as opposition members and those on the treasury benches indulged in recrimination over the issues of demonetisation, corruption and other issues.

In the Lok Sabha, the opposition pressed for a debate on demonetisation while the treasury benches demanded a discussion on the AgustaWestland helicopter deal.

Both sides shouted at each other as Speaker Sumitra Mahajan warned the members against displaying newspapers in the house, before adjourning it till noon.

The opposition accused the Bharatiya Janata Party members of obstructing the debate.

Telangana Rashtra Samiti leader A.P. Jithender Reddy said he should be allowed to speak as he had started the discussion on demonetisation under Rule 193.

"Every party has a problem with the implementation of demonetisation... I was not allowed to speak," Reddy said.

Trinamool Congress leader Sudip Bandyopadhyay said: "There is one more day left before the end of the session. A discussion could have been initiated, without any rules."

Parliamentary Affairs Minister H.N. Ananth Kumar raised the issue of the AgustaWestland VVIP helicopter deal and said names of certain Congress leaders are mentioned in middleman Christian Michel's diary.

This further irked the opposition members, leading to more ruckus, following which Speaker Sumitra Mahajan adjourned the house for the day.

Similar acrimonious scenes were witnessed in the Rajya Sabha. It was first adjourned till noon amid chaos, minutes after it reassembled following a four-day gap.

Soon after the House met for the day, the Chair allowed Leader of the Opposition Ghulam Nabi Azad to speak but members from the treasury benches did not allow him to speak.

"This should also go on record that in both the houses, it is the ruling party (BJP) that is not allowing any work," Azad said, adding that it was happening for the "first time in the history of India".

Deputy Chairman P.J. Kurien kept on urging protesting members to maintain peace but his pleas went unheeded.

"Why should both sides create problem? I don't know," he said and adjourned the house till noon.

Later, the house was adjourned for 30 minutes and then again till 2 p.m. After 2 p.m., it was finally adjourned for the day as the opposition members demanded a debate on demonetisation and plight of farmers while those on the treasury benches wanted a debate on the AgustaWestland chopper deal.

The winter session of Parliament started on November 16 but has been washed away due to protests over the government's November 8 demonetisation. It will conclude on Friday, December 16.

--IANS

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