New Delhi: Prime Minister Narendra Modi will attend the Winter Session of Rajya Sabha on Thursday, after a combative Opposition — which have been demanding his presence in Parliament to discuss the demonetisation issue — forced proceedings in both Houses to be stalled for the fifth consecutive day on Wednesday.
In the Lok Sabha, the government and the Opposition continued to clash over demonetisation and the rule under which the debate on it should take place. The Centre has ruled out a debate with voting, something that sections of the Oppostion has been clamouring for.
In the Rajya Sabha, the Opposition closed ranks to demand Modi’s presence in the House to reply to the debate on the hardship caused by his decision to ban old Rs 500 and Rs 1,000 currency notes, forcing the adjournment of proceedings twice.
The uproarious scenes led to the adjournment of the proceedings first till noon and then till 2 pm. When it met again, deputy chairman P.J. Kurien adjourned the House for the day after just 15 minutes, amid arguments and confusion between the Treasury and Opposition benches.
Earlier, BSP leader Mayawati sought an apology from Mr Modi for speaking outside the House on demonetisation when Parliament is in session, while the Congress demanded a joint parliamentary committee (JPC) to go into the “sudden announcement” of the demonetisation of 86 per cent of the currency in circulation.
In the Lok Sabha, Opposition members, including those from the Congress, the TMC, the RJD, the CPI(M) and the BJD, besides the SAD and the Shiv Sena — both part of the ruling NDA — expressed their views in the House when it assembled at noon after one adjournment, with the Sena changing its stance on demonetisation and sparing the government embarrassment by praising the move and supporting its stand that the debate be held under Rule 193, which does not entail voting.
