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Parliament witnesses storm of protests, no end to stalemate in sight
Loud protests by the Congress and the Trinamool Congress over the alleged Rs 12,600 crore fraud at Punjab National Bank (PNB) washed out proceedings in the two houses for the second consecutive day.
Both houses of Parliament plunged into chaos on Tuesday, day two of the Budget session’s second leg, with a range of opposition parties and allies of the National Democratic Alliance (NDA) storming the well of the Lok Sabha and the Rajya Sabha on diverse issues.
Loud protests by the Congress and the Trinamool Congress over the alleged Rs 12,600 crore fraud at Punjab National Bank (PNB), suspected to have been carried out by jeweller Nirav Modi, washed out proceedings in the two houses for the second consecutive day.
Rajya Sabha chairman M Venkaiah Naidu chided the MPs for reducing Parliament to a ‘laughing stock’.
MPs from Andhra Pradesh demanded special category status for the state; All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (AIADMK) members from Tamil Nadu raised placards to press for a Cauvery water management board; the Telangana Rashtriya Samiti wanted a constitutional amendment to enable reservations beyond 50 percent; and the Shiv Sena demanded recognition of Marathi as a ‘classical language’.
But the big political battle revolved around the PNB fraud, with no end to the impasse in sight.
Treasury and opposition benches argued over the rules under which they would discuss the matter. A key dispute arose between the government and the opposition over framing of the language of the debate. The Congress wanted the debate to stick to Nirav Modi’s case, but the government insisted on discussing banking irregularities that have happened “over the years”.
A short duration debate on “systemic irregularities in banking sector over the years and its impact on India economy” was listed in the Lok Sabha, but it was drowned out by noise in the well of the house.
Congress MPs raised slogans such as “Chota Modi (Nirav Modi) kahan gaya? Pradhan Mantri Jawab do... Nirav Modi vapas lao.”
Opposition leader Mallikarjun Kharge asked for an adjournment motion – a rule under which all other legislative business is suspended to debate a matter of urgent public importance – but the government accused the Congress of running away from a debate. “We agreed to start the debate at noon today, but the Congress is running away, fearing skeletons will tumble out of its closets if a debate happens,” parliamentary affairs minister Ananth Kumar said.
But Kharge alleged that the contents of his adjournment motion were changed after it was decided at a meeting of the business advisory committee that the issue would be discussed in the House under Rule 193 that does not entail voting.
His notice read: “The reported incident of massive financial defaults and frauds of thousands of crores in various nationalized and other banks in the country which resulted in loot of public money and the perpetrators of the crime were allowed to leave the country despite complaints being made against them which needs to be addressed by Government.”
In the revised list of business, the motion read as, “to raise a discussion on alleged systematic irregularities in the banking sector over the years and its impact on Indian economy.”
Kharge said the opposition wanted a discussion on the recent development and not what happened 100 years ago.
“This is the second part of the Budget session. We have to pass the Finance Bill and Demands for Grants. If the House runs peacefully then everyone can raise their issues. I cannot understand why the Congress party is irritated... Government is ready for a discussion...I can’t understand why Congress is opposing it,” Kumar said amid the ruckus in the House.
The Congress’ Leader of Opposition in the Rajya Sabha, Ghulam Nabi Azad, however, said the onus of smooth functioning of Parliament rested on the government, and it had never made an effort to discuss issues of national importance on the floor of the House.
Congress chief Rahul Gandhi and parliamentary party’s chairperson Sonia Gandhi were present during the protests. Veteran LK Advani was the only Bharatiya Janata Party leader in the front row of the treasury benches.
As the government locked horns with the opposition, protests by others added to the din.
In the Lok Sabha, Speaker Sumitra Mahajan adjourned the house till 12 noon and then for the day as the Opposition continued protests.
The Rajya Sabha, too, witnessed unruly scenes and three adjournments before it was adjourned for the day. Reacting to the disruptions, chairman Naidu said, “I am not happy. I do not approve this sort of tactics. .... This is proving the public impression...Parliament is not conducting itself in a dignified manner.”
Chastising members for shouting slogans and displaying banners, he said, “This is Parliament. This is not a bazaar.” He added, “You are insulting yourself. You are making Parliament a laughing stock in front of the people of the country,”
Naidu asked leaders of all parties to meet him in his chamber in a bid to end the stalemate. The House resumed at 11.30 am, but as opposition members continued to raise slogans from the well, Naidu adjourned it again.
Deputy chairman PJ Kurien tried to pacify members, saying discussion and debate are the ways of Parliamentary democracy, but his efforts failed to restore peace.
