Demonetisation: FM objects to Manmohan speaking unless Oppn agrees to debate

Union Finance Minister Arun Jaitley on Thursday objected to former prime minister Dr Manmohan Singh speak on the issue of demonetisation in Rajya Sabha and asked the opposition to resume the debate

Union finance minister Arun Jaitley on Thursday objected to former prime minister Dr Manmohan Singh speaking on the issue of demonetisation in Rajya Sabha and asked the opposition to resume the debate.

Union finance minister Arun Jaitley at Parliament during the winter session. (PTI Photo)

“If it is on the demonetisation issue let the opposition resume the debate and let Dr. Manmohan Singh speak. If there is no debate, nobody from the opposition is going to be allowed to speak,” Jaitley said.

Leader of Opposition in Rajya Sabha, Ghulam Nabi Azad, earlier said that Dr Singh would like to speak something.

Meanwhile, both Houses of Parliament have been adjourned till noon as a united opposition continued its tirade against the government over the demonetisation move.

The opposition in the Rajya Sabha has insisted that it would allow no discussion on the ban on high-value currency without Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s presence.

The Prime Minister told his Cabinet last evening that a survey conducted on his app saw record participation and proved that people back his effort to crackdown on black money and corruption by removing the old high-denomination notes.

The opposition, however, said the survey excludes lakhs of people, who live in rural India and don’t have access to smartphones.

The opposition has also alleged that the questions were framed in a manner to ensure a positive response for the government.