Parliament adjourned over demonetisation

New Delhi, November 17: Opposition parties led by the Congress on Thursday forced adjournments in Parliament demanding a debate and a response from the Prime Minister to the hardships caused to people by demonetisation of 500 and 1,000 rupee notes.

The Lok Sabha was adjourned for the day following uproar by the Opposition over its demand for a debate on demonetisation under rule, which entails voting.

A united opposition's relentless demand for a debate on demonetisation under a rule which entails voting today forced the adjournment of the Lok Sabha for the day as the government refused to accept it.

Parliamentary Affairs Minister Ananth Kumar said the government was willing to debate the issue under Rule 193, which does not entail voting, as it did not want two voices to emerge from Parliament, drawing incessant protests from the Opposition.

As Opposition parties refused to budge, Speaker Sumitra Mahajan adjourned proceedings for the day after a 25-minute adjournment earlier. The House was adjourned for the yesterday as a mark of respect for a sitting member who had passed away in August.

As soon as the House met, Trinamool Congress leader Sudip Bandhyopadhyay said his party wanted to move an adjournment motion.

Leader of the Congress party in Lok Sabha Mallikarjun Kharge said his party too wanted to move a similar motion to discuss the “hardship being faced by the people and the economic disruption and the failure of the government to redress the plight of the people.”

He said another issue his party wanted to flag was the “leakage” of the information on demonetisation before it came into force. The morning session of the Rajya Sabha was washed out as the Opposition MPs entered the Well demanding presence of the Prime Minister, forcing multiple adjournments of the House. The Upper House was scheduled to continue the discussion on demonetisation, which had commenced on Wednesday.

Minutes after proceedings began for the day at 11 am, AIADMK MPs entered the Well demanding release of Cauvery water to Tamil Nadu. As they were given an assurance by Deputy Chairman PJ Kurien that their leader Navaneethakrishnan would be permitted to speak after TMC MP Derek O' Brien made his submission, they returned to their seats.

TMC MP Derek O Brien who was already on his feet by then sought the presence of the PM in the Upper House during the discussion on demonetisation.

In support, Congress MPs entered the Well demanding presence of PM Modi in the House.

Though Kurien requested them to return to their seats, the MPs did not relent resulting in the first adjournment till 11.30 am.

When the House reconvened, the Opposition MPs continued slogan shouting in the Well. On one side of the Chair, the AIADMK MPs continued their demand for release of Cauvery water and formation of a management board while on the other Congress, TMC and BSP MPs were in the Well demanding presence of the Prime Minister. The House was adjourned till Question hour at 12 pm.

At 12 pm, Chairman Hamid Ansari's requests to allow Question Hour fell on deaf ears as the same slogans and demands were made by MPs who had entered the well. The House was then adjourned till 12.30 pm and then again adjourned till 2 pm as the Opposition MPs did not relent.

‘Azad's comments on demonetisation atrocious, anti-national'

NEW DELHI: Rebuking Congress leader Ghulam Nabi Azad for linking Uri terror attack casualties to the deaths during demonetisation, Parliamentary Affairs Minister Ananth Kumar today said the remarks by former union minister are “atrocious, anti-national and an insult to the martyrs.”

“Such remarks showfrustration and desperation of the Congress's top leadership following the positive response from the public to the demonetisation move. Azad has not only insulted the martyrs of Uri attack but in a way has also given a certificate to Pakistan sponsored terrorists,” Kumar said.

Azad, while demanding presence of the Prime Minister and asserting that the House will not be allowed to function till he comes there, said 40 people had died following Government's decision on demonetisation.

“People are suffering because of demonetisation. The death toll has reached 40. In the attack by Pakistani terrorists (on army camp) in Uri (in Kashmir), even half of the deaths did not take place. People double than that figure have died due to wrong policy of the Government,” he said.

His comments have not only hurt the sentiments of general public but is also a blow to our soldiers who are working day and night for their country, he added.

“Such remarks are atrocious, anti-national and insult to the martyrs. Therefore we demand an unconditional apology from Azad to the people of India,” Kumar said.