Oppn, Centre at odds over voting in Rafale debate
NEW DELHI: There were disruptions and adjournments in both Houses of Parliament on the first business day of the winter session as Opposition parties, led by the Congress, protested against the treasury benches over a host of issues ranging from the Rafale jet fighter deal to the sharing of Cauvery waters to the construction of a Ram temple in Ayodhya.
The Congress is pressing for a parliamentary debate on the Rafale deal under a motion that would entail voting, senior party leaders said on Wednesday. They added that the proposal, however, has not been accepted by the BJP, which says it is open to any debate but without voting. Basking in the glory of its assembly elections victories in Madhya Pradesh, Chhattsigarh and Rajasthan on Tuesday, the Congress wants to take its campaign on Rafale forward, and the senior leaders cited above said the party feels a
vote would test the ruling NDA unity on the issue.
The Lok Sabha faced adjournments not just over the Congress demanding a debate on Rafale but also Shiv Sena MPs calling for steps to ensure the speedy construction of a Ram temple at the disputed Ayodhya site.
Besides, the All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (AIADMK) members, with placards in their hands, raised the Cauvery river water issue.
In the Rajya Sabha, shortly after members paid tribute to former US President George HW Bush, who died on November 30, and complimented member of the House Mary Kom for her victory in the women’s world boxing championship, AIADMK members demanded “justice” for Tamil Nadu farmers living along the Cauvery delta. Members from the Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK) also joined the protest.
Rajya Sabha chairperson M Venkaiah Naidu tried to dissuade the protesting members. “The people of India, in certain states, have overwhelmingly participated in the elections and given verdict. That shows that they have confidence in the democratic system of the country. That being the case, we should respect the people’s sentiments, allow the House to function and take up issues,” he said. But the slogans continued, forcing Naidu to adjourn the House twice.
At a meeting of senior party leaders, the government said it wants to clear three ordinances — on triple talaq, Companies Act amendment and Indian Medical Council amendment — on priority. Lok Sabha officials said speaker Sumitra Mahajan offered to allow a debate every day under Rule 193 (without voting) in the Lower House.
According to senior leaders,the Congress leaders have listed their priority areas for debate: Rafale deal, condition of the economy, unemployment, and agrarian crisis. Trinamool Congress floor leader in the Lok Sabha, Sudip Bandopadhyay, wanted a debate on the breakdown of constitutional bodies such as the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) and the Reserve Bank of India (RBI). He also wanted a discussion on India’s federal structure. Meanwhile, Biju Janata Dal (BJD) leader Bhartruhari Mahtab asked for a debate on national calamities.
With different Opposition and BJP allies asking for debates on different issues, the fear of prolonged disruptions looms large on the winter session. A senior Opposition leader summed up the situation as, “everything now depends on the Congress if it wants to hold a debate on Rafale without voting provisions.”
The National Trust for the Welfare of Persons with Autism, Cerebral Palsy, Mental Retardation and Multiple Disabilities (Amendment) Bill was passed amid slogan shouting by Opposition members in the Rajya Sabha.
(with inputs from Smriti Kak)