Ready for debate, allow Parliament to function: Venkaiah Naidu to Oppn

Union minister M Venkaiah Naidu today appealed to opposition parties to allow the Parliament to function so that the remaining period of Winter session should be "utilised" as the government is ready for debate on any issue including demonetisation.

"We are ready for debate and discussion in Parliament. We hope that the last 2 or 3 days will be useful...No obstruction and there would be proper discussion on all the issues, not only demonetisation but there are also other issues that the Members of Parliament want to raise.

"I appeal to Opposition parties to please come back to the discussion table, allow the House to function and see to it that the people's aspirations are met in Parliament," Naidu said.

The comments came just ahead of few days left for the month-long Winter session of the Parliament which ends on December 16. Parliament has holidays today and tomorrow on account of Eid-e-Milad-un Nabi.

The Information and Broadcasting minister said, "We are ready to do anything but those people (Opposition) are not allowing the Parliament to function. Whether they have understood the reason (behind disruption) or not but we have really not understood," he said.

Both Houses of the Parliament had witnessed heated exchanges between the government and the Opposition over the way a debate should take place on demonetisation announced by Prime Minister Narendra Modi on November 8.

"I am always optimistic. Parliament should run and the remaining time of the session should be utilised...Prime Minister (Narendra Modi) is also not being allowed to speak so he had to go to people's assembly," Naidu said.

Citing the comments of President Pranab Mukherjee and veteran BJP leader L K Advani, the minister said,"It is in everyone's heart to see the Parliament runs smoothly."

Last Thursday, in a stinging attack on the opposition over Parliamentary paralysis, Mukherjee said the House is not a place for dharna and disruption which amounts to "gagging of majority" by the minority.

Earlier, Advani had blamed both the ruling and opposition benches for the deadlock, and even pulled up the Speaker and Parliamentary Affairs Minister for "not running the House".