NDA to move adjournment motion in LS on Assam violence

NDA on Tuesday said it will move an adjournment motion in Lok Sabha and suspension of Question Hour in the Rajya Sabha to discuss the ethnic violence in Kokrajhar, Assam.

NDA on Tuesday said it will move an adjournment motion in Lok Sabha and suspension of Question Hour in the Rajya Sabha to discuss the ethnic violence in Kokrajhar, Assam.

"NDA has decided that we will not let Parliament function tomorrow(Wednesday) unless the issue of ethnic violence in Assam is taken up for discussion," BJP president Nitin Gadkari said at a programme in New Delhi.

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BJP parliamentary party chief LK Advani will move an adjournment motion in the Lok Sabha on Wednesday during Question Hour to press for a discussion on this issue. In the Rajya Sabha, deputy leader of BJP Ravi Shankar Prasad and his party colleague Balbir Punj will move a suspension of Question Hour notice on the same issue.

BJP had declared in the all-party meeting called by Lok Sabha speaker Meira Kumar on Monday that it wants a discussion on this issue on the first day of the session. In case the chair rejects the NDA demand, they are likely to disrupt proceedings on Wednesday, sources said.

The main Opposition is holding a dharna on Wednesday at Jantar Mantar on the issue of communal clashes in Kokrajhar.

NDA floor leaders held a meeting this evening to discuss their joint strategy in the monsoon session.

NDA Convenor and JD(U) leader Sharad Yadav said other than Assam violence, problems caused by drought and floods, FDI in retail, corruption issues raised by the CAG in its report on coal blocs allocation, civil aviation and others, power grid failure, and Centre-State relations will be raised by the BJP-led coalition.

"Our first priority is the ethnic violence in Assam. Four lakh people have been displaced. Such a big displacement has not taken place since Independence," Yadav said.

Gadkari appealed to all political parties to not link this issue with votebank politics and instead look at it from the perspective of the nation's internal security.

The NDA also wants to draw the attention of Parliament to the devastation caused by floods in some states and problems being faced by people of drought-affected regions, he said.

"The bumper crop of last year which broke all records has not helped," Yadav said.

The NDA will continue to oppose reported attempts by the government to allow FDI in retail. "22 crore people of the country are involved in retail trade. The government is trying to corner them. Other countries are also putting pressure on India," Yadav said.

The opposition will also move more strongly and vociferously on corruption issues on the basis of the CAG reports including those on coal allocation and civil aviation.

"The debate on Centre-State relations had remained incomplete during the last session. We will request the Chair to complete it in this session," the NDA convener said.

The failure of three power grids and a debate on the role of the media is also on the NDA agenda.