Ruckus continues in Parliament over demonetisation
NEW DELHI: The ruckus in Parliament over demonetisation spilled over to the fourth week on Monday, stalling proceedings of the winter session.
Opposition members of both Houses attacked the Narendra Modi government on the shortage of cash in banks and ATMs and sparred over the rules under which the note ban issue is debated. The Lok Sabha session ran for more than an hour amid disruptions and sloganeering by the Opposition.
A debate on the issue under Rule 193 — which does not entail voting after the discussion — could not be taken up in the Lower House with a majority of the opposition insisting the discussion be followed by a vote, under Rule 184.
The government had hoped for a way out after the discussion was listed for Monday on notices given by lawmakers Bhartruhari Mahtab of Biju Janata Dal and AP Jithender Reddy of the Telangana Rashtra Samiti.
Congress leader Malikarjun Kharge and Trinamool Congress leader Sudip Bandyopadhyay accused the government of “running away from the debate despite a brute majority in the house.” Speaker Sumitra Mahajan said she would allow the discussion by suspending Question Hour if the opposition did not insist the matter be discussed under Rule 184.
Home minister Rajnath Singh said, “If it is the Opposition’s perception that implementation is wanting, we will try and improve it.”
Meanwhile, an equally aggressive Opposition in Rajya Sabha cornered the government for failing to streamline the process of money disbursal. Leader of the opposition in RS, Ghulam Nabi Azad, said over hundreds of people complained of failing to withdraw money.