Cong blames govt for disruption in Parliament

Blaming the government for the continued disruption in Parliament, Congress today said it was willing to consider the ruling party's proposal to break the logjam but accused the treasury benches of failing to come up with any suggestion to ensure smooth functioning of the House.
With Parliament failing to transact any significant business for 15th day in a row during the current winter session, Congress agreed with President Pranab Mukherjee's call for allowing Parliament to function, and said it was a good advice given to the government.
Congress' senior spokesperson Ghulam Nabi Azad accused the government of being instrumental in creating disturbance and disruption in Parliament and said the ruling party was behaving in a manner as if it was still in opposition.

"It is for the government to run Parliament. Let the government come forward with a proposal. Let us see, we can consider if it comes. But there is no suggestion from the government side so far," he said.
Azad, who is the Leader of Opposition in the Rajya Sabha, said the government was playing the role both of the government and the opposition and "it is least interested" in running Parliament.
"The government is least interested in running Parliament. They are more happy in announcing decisions outside Parliament and there has been no initiative forthcoming from government. It seems the government is not interested. It is provoking the opposition all the time. Ministers are giving provocative statements all the time. This is not the way to run the government," he said.

Agreeing with the President's advice to ensure Parliament functions, Azad said he has said a good thing and his advice is for the government.

"I totally agree with the President and hold government fully responsible for the current stalemate. The ruling party is instrumental in creating disturbances in the House. It is the government's duty to run Parliament. The MPs fight less, but Ministers fight more. It is an advice to the government.
"It is for the government to come forward. This government has still not realised whether it was in government or in the opposition. They are still playing the same rule as they used to play when in the opposition," he said.

There is no consensus among the opposition over the move to have a debate on demonetisation in the Lok Sabha without voting.
While Congress is insisting that there should be a discussion followed by voting, the government is adamant on having a debate under a rule that does not entail voting.
Sources said some opposition parties, including the Trinamool Congress, is wanting the debate to be initiated without any particular rule. The sources said if discussion is held, Congress vice-president Rahul Gandhi is likely to initiate it from the opposition side.