No business on 21st day of session
NEARWASHOUT Opposition parties protest on various issues, MPS attribute logjam to breakdown of back channels
NEWDELHI: On the penultimate day of the second half of the budget session that appears to be headed for a washout, the opposition parties on Thursday held a protest on several issues, including disruption of proceedings in both houses of Parliament, alleged atrocities on Dalits and the bank scam.
United Progressive Alliance (UPA) chairperson Sonia Gandhi and Congress president Rahul Gandhi joined senior leaders of other opposition parties in the protest held near the statue of Mahatma Gandhi in the Parliament House complex.
Prior to the protests, the opposition leaders prepared ground to assemble 17 parties at one place, taking care of the sensitivities of each party both in terms of issues and symbolism to present a united front.
The placards were kept black and white to address the sensibilities of those parties which are colour sensitive. Similarly, the demand for Cauvery water management board was mentioned as mere “Cauvery Water” to respect the sentiments of both Tamil Nadu and Karnataka.
The protest came a day after the MPS of the ruling National Democratic Alliance ( NDA) decided to forego their salaries for the 23 days of the ongoing budget session when Parliament did not function “because of protests” by the Congress and other political parties.
The coming together of the opposition parties also signalled an attempt by the opposition camp to stake its claim to the post of Rajya Sabha deputy chairperson given the BJP’S face-off with the Telugu Desam Party (TDP). Deputy chairman PJ Kurien of the Congress will retire before Parliament meets for the mon- soon session.
MPS also attributed the continued logjam in the Rajya Sabha to a complete breakdown of back channels between the treasury benches and the opposition in the absence of the ailing leader of the House, Arun Jaitley. These lead- ers admitted that the finance minister had kept the dialogue active even in the worst of times .
Some opposition leaders maintained that without Jaitley’s leadership, the treasury benches are also having problems coming to grips with the House rules. An example of that was the faux pas by the Chair and the ruling party on the anti-corruption amendment bill. Both Houses of Parliament could not transact any business on the 21st straight day on Thursday. The Lok Sabha once again could not take up the no-confidence motion notices given by MPS belonging to different parties due to ruckus by the AIADMK members. They have been demanding the setting up of a Cauvery water management board to settle the river water dispute between Tamil Nadu and Karnataka.
In the Rajya Sabha, Congress and BJP members accused each other of blocking the passage of the anti-corruption amendment bill, which could not be taken up for passage.
Earlier, Rajya Sabha chairman M Venkaiah Naidu corrected the record saying the Prevention of Corruption (Amendment) Bill 2013 was not passed by the Lok Sabha and the introduction was done after incorporating the suggestions made by the Select Committee of Parliament.