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Lok Sabha debate over demonetisation may end Parliament deadlock on Friday

Ghulam Nabi Azad said his party could consider reaching a middle ground if the government makes a concrete proposal

Parliament deadlock over demonetisation could end Friday with Lok Sabha debate

Amit Agnihotri New Delhi
The parliament logjam over demonetisation may end on Friday with segments of the Opposition wishing for a debate to start in the Lok Sabha without any rule.
 
Ghulam Nabi Azad, Leader of the Opposition in the Rajya Sabha, blamed the centre for the parliament deadlock but said his party could consider reaching a "middle ground if the government made a concrete proposal."

"The government is not interested in running parliament? it provokes the Opposition," said Azad.

"The Lok Sabha is supreme. The Opposition is ready for a debate on Friday without any rule," TMC (Trinamool Congress) leader Derek O'Brien said.
 
The Opposition has not let Parliament function for the past two weeks demanding Prime Minister Narendra Modi's apology in the Rajya Sabha and a debate with voting in the Lok Sabha.

"Let us not get stuck over a rule. The Speaker can allow a debate without any rule," said O'Brien in a clear change of stance.

Though a debate on note ban had started in the Rajya Sabha on November 16, when the winter session started, it remains inconclusive due to continuous disruption.

The Opposition leaders feel they should speak in the lower house on demonetisation and the window for it was narrowing with just two working days available next week when the winter session ends on December 16. December 12 and 13 are holidays on account of Eid.

Both the houses were repeatedly disrupted over demonetisation. However, the Lok Sabha passed the supplementary Demands for Grants for the financial year 2016-17 amid slogan shouting by the opposition benches.

If normalcy returns to the Lok Sabha on Friday, Rahul Gandhi, who has been attacking the Prime Minister over demonetisation outside Parliament, may speak during the debate, said the sources.

Rahul, who participated in a united Opposition protest outside parliament house to mark one month of note ban, again targeted PM Modi.

"Last month PM did a financial experiment on his own without consulting any expert. This resulted in a massive loss to the poor, the farmers had no money to buy seeds," said Rahul.

Noting that, "unemployment is increasing" Rahul further said that "Larsen & Toubro company had sacked over a lakh people."

"Somebody said it is a bold decision? it is not a bold decision... bold decision can also be a foolish decision," said the Congress vice president.

Inside the Rajya Sabha, Azad sought an apology from the government for the over 100 deaths so far due to note ban.

CPI-M (Communist Party of India (Marxist)) leader Sitaram Yechury said: "The Prime Minister avoids coming to the House, but continuously makes policy statements outside in public speeches. He is continuously violating parliamentary norms and practices."

"Even today, there was a clear violation as the waiver of service tax on credit and debit card transactions was made outside Parliament. ... No tax proposal can be made anywhere else but in Parliament," Yechury said, adding, "the Consolidated Fund of India will now get less service tax receipts because of the Prime Minister's proposal."

President Pranab Mukherjee expressed his concern over the parliament paralysis saying, "Disruption is totally unacceptable in the Parliamentary system. People send representatives to speak and not to sit on dharna and not to create any trouble on the floor." He was speaking on "Electoral reforms for a stronger democracy" on the occasion of Defence Estates Day Lecture.

"Disruption means you are gagging majority. Majority never participates in this disruption. Only minority comes to the well, shouts slogans, stops the proceedings and creates a situation in which the Chair has no option but to adjourn the House. This is totally unacceptable," the president said.

"For demonstration, you can choose any other places. But for God's sake, do your job. You are meant to transact business. You are meant to devote your time for exercising the authority of members, particularly the Lok Sabha members over money and finance," he said.

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First Published: Dec 08 2016 | 7:59 PM IST

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