The din over demonetisation of higher denomination currency notes disrupted Parliament proceedings for the fourth day on Monday as a combative Opposition insisted that the Prime Minister come to the House and respond to their queries and objections. While proceedings in Rajya Sabha were a complete washout, Lok Sabha was a shade better. Speaker Sumitra Mahajan managed to conduct much of question hour amidst a noisy protest by Opposition members in the well of the House. WATCH VIDEO: Government Plans To Bring GST Bills As Money Bills: Here's Why In Rajya Sabha, Opposition parties demanded that Prime Minister Narendra Modi be present to hear them out and respond to the discussion. In Lok Sabha, they sought a discussion under a rule which provides for voting at the end.Government sources indicated that the Prime Minister could intervene during the discussion and sit through a part of it, depending on how Rajya Sabha functioned. But the sources said that the government’s reply will be from Finance Minister Arun Jaitley. In Lok Sabha, Parliamentary Affairs Minister Ananth Kumar said the government was prepared for a discussion, but only under Rule 193, which does not ential voting. Opposition parties, it is learnt, want to block proceedings for some more time, at least till the queues at banks and ATMs remain in their calculation, the Opposition protest will go down well with the people who have been short of cash ever since the Rs 500 and Rs 1,000 notes went out of circulation. The government, which is anxious to get key GST-related Bills passed during the current session, does not wish to take a confrontationist approach. Sources said that it may just agree to take up an adjournment motion, which entials voting, in Lok Sabha, given the comfortable majority the ruling combine has in the House. On Monday morning, as soon as Rajya Sabha met, CPM leader Sitaram Yechury, who had submitted a notice under Rule 267 for a discussion on the railway accident near Kanpur, linked it to a demand for obituary references of those who died in the wake of the demonetisation of higher currency notes. This took even the Opposition by surprise. “I have given a notice under Rule 267 for suspension of business. Sir, I am proposing that this House must condole the death of nearly 70 people because of the withdrawal of Rs 500 and Rs 1,000 notes. This House must condole and an obituary should be moved by the chair.” He conceded that the notice was on a different subject but persisted with the demand. He was supported by BSP chief Mayawati who said that she did not feel there was need for a separate notice on such an important issue. Leader of Opposition and Congress leader Ghulam Nabi Azad too demanded that the House adopt a condolence resolution for those who had died in queues in the last 15 days. But the chair did not allow it. Instead, Deputy Chairman P J Kurien said that obituary references could not be spontaneous and there was a procedure for it apart from the fact that authentic figures of deaths would be required to move such a reference. Despite repeated pleas from Kurien and the treasury benches that the demonetisation discussion be resumed, the Opposition did not allow the House proceedings. Minister of State for Parliamentary Affairs Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi said: “Sir, the sense of the country is against black money. The sense of the country is in favour of Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s decision.” Opposition members began shouting slogans and rushed into the well of the House, forcing repeated adjournments. Failing to restore order in the House, Kurien later said: “This kind of slogan-shouting is denigrating the dignity of the House. I am sorry that both sides are shouting such slogans.” Earlier, Deputy Leader of Congress Anand Sharma said, “We are not going to have any clarification unless our demand- that the Prime Minister comes to the House — is met.” In the din, Minister of State for Railways Rajen Gohain read out a short statement on the railway accident even as Opposition members objected, asking why an MoS should make a statement in the Upper House when Cabinet Minister Suresh Prabhu had already done so in Lok Sabha. Satish Chandra Mishra (BSP) said the government was taking the issue so casually that both the Prime Minister and Railway Minister were absent from the House. A Congress member in the House also tore a copy of the statement that was read out by Gohain. Kurien said, “Do not say MoS is casual. I was also an MoS. Do not make MoS a casual minister. There is no harm in an MoS making a statement.” As noisy scenes continued, Kurien finally adjourned the House for the day. The Lok Sabha witnessed protests in the well soon after the House met and paid homage to the victims of the train accident. Barring Congress vice-president Rahul Gandhi, floor leader Mallikarjun Kharge and former minister Kamal Nath, every Congress member trooped into the well. While most protesters raised slogans, Trinamool Congress members held afloat placards saying “Financial Emergency”. When some of them tried to come into the TV frame along with their placards as ministers responded to questions, the Speaker said: “If you want to come on TV, I will tell the Lok Sabha TV people to show you, but don’t disturb the Minister (for HRD Prakash Javadekar)”. An agitated Kharge told Mahajan: “We are not here to be on TV. We want to debate but the government is not listening to us”.
