Demonetisation: Opposition plans mega stir today, may meet President

New Delhi: Parliament remained disrupted for the fourth consecutive sitting on Tuesday as Opposition parties continued to show a rare unity to corner the government over the demonetisation issue. The Opposition again insisted that Prime Minister Narendra Modi be present during discussions and make a statement on the issue, a demand again not conceded by the government. The parties decided to come together on a common platform outside the House for the first time and stage a demonstration within the Parliament premises on Wednesday. They will also try to meet President Pranab Mukherjee over the issue. “Well announce a future course of action including a date for a country-wide protest,” JD(U) leader Sharad Yadav told this newspaper.

Both houses of Parliament saw disruptions as soon as they assembled with the Opposition demanding Rs 10 lakh compensation to the kin of each of those who died standing in queues trying to exchange old notes or draw cash after the government spiked high-value currencies about two weeks ago.

The Lok Sabha was adjourned twice once till 12 noon and then for the day when it reassembled, while the Rajya Sabha saw a total of five adjournments, finally being adjourned till Wednesday at 2 PM.

In the Lok Sabha, both the treasury and the Opposition benches stuck to their positions on the type of discussion needed for the issue.

Amid noisy sloganeering by Congress, Trinamool Congress and Left parties, Parliamentary Affairs Minister Ananth Kumar said that the government was willing to debate every aspect of the issue and accused the Opposition parties of running away from a debate.

The Opposition on the other side maintained that they were also willing to debate but under a rule which allows for voting and also demanded the presence of the Prime Minister during any such discussion.

In the Rajya Sabha, the Opposition, led by the Congress, also demanded that a compensation of Rs 10 lakh should be paid to the kin of each of the 70 people who reportedly died due to problems after notes of Rs 500 and Rs 1,000 were scrapped.

The rare show of unity in the Opposition camp will spill over outside the Houses with all parties set to stage a demonstration against the demonetisation drive within the Parliament premises.

Trinamool Congress chief Mamata Banerjee, who had last week led a march against the move to the President’s house, would also hit the streets of the Capital again on Wednesday.

Meanwhile, the CPI(M) said it is seeking legal opinion on moving a contempt notice against PM Modi for announcing policy matters like demonetisation outside Parliament but not coming to the House to explain them.

“If the Prime Minister makes a major policy announcement outside Parliament, particularly when it has been summoned by the President, it is incumbent that he comes to both Houses to explain the issue. This has not been done,” party general secretary Sitaram Yechury told a press conference here.

“We are examining the issue and we would like to move a contempt notice against the PM after discussions with other Opposition parties,” Mr Yechury said.