Do your job, don't disrupt Parliament: Prez to lawmakers

New Delhi: Slamming MPs for continuously holding up Parliament over the demonetisation issue, President Pranab Mukherjee said on Thursday that such disruption is not acceptable at all.

Speaking at a meeting of Defence Estates Organisation in New Delhi, Mukherjee said addressing MPs, "For God's sake, do your job. You are meant to transact business in Parliament.”

“I have no intention of accusing any individual, but disrupting Parliament has become a practice,” Mukherjee lamented.

Parliamentary freedom should not be misused by causing disruptions, he added.

At the event, Mukherjee also pitched for passage of Women's Reservation Bill in the Lok Sabha.

"Women's Reservation  Bill is pending for a long time in Parliament representation of women is abysmally low. It is totally unacceptable," he said according to ANI.

The Opposition has held up both Houses of Parliament since the beginning of the Winter Session demanding that Prime Minister Narendra Modi speak on the issue in Parliament. However, it has unitedly continued to create ruckus even when Modi has been present.

On Thursday, Congress and other Opposition parties observed 'Black Day' by protesting against demonetisation at Gandhi statue outside Parliament. Congress Vice President Rahul Gandhi claimed Modi was 'laughing and having a good time' while poor people suffered due to the ban on old notes.

He alleged that the PM kept changing his tone on demonetisation, first claiming that it was done to root out corruption, then terrorism, and finally pitching for a cashless economy. Rahul also labelled the endeavour towards digitisation as a deliberate move of the Modi government to concentrate money in the hands of a few people. He challenged Modi to participate in a debate in Parliament on the issue instead of 'running away' from it.