Govt faces attack over drought issue

Opposition members disrupted Question Hour and forced a brief adjournment of the Lok Sabha on Wednesday to raise the issue....

Opposition members disrupted Question Hour and forced a brief adjournment of the Lok Sabha on Wednesday to raise the issue of the drought-like situation in the country. Speaker Meira Kumar allowed them to vent their feelings during Zero Hour,but only after they had facilitated Question Hour.

The issue took centrestage as soon as the House met. Sharad Yadav (JD-U),Mulayam Singh Yadav (SP) and Basudeb Acharia (CPM) demanded that they discuss the crisis which had gripped a large part of the country due to a delayed and deficient monsoon.

With Parliamentary Affairs Minister Pawan Kumar Bansal suggesting that members take up the issue during the discussion on the demand for grants for the Agriculture Ministry on Thursday,Opposition members started shouting slogans of the government being anti-farmer,forcing the Speaker to adjourn the Lok Sabha for about 20 minutes.

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Subsequently,the Lok Sabha discussed the issue during Zero Hour,when members cutting across party lines voiced their concern on the issue. They suggested that the government declare famine and hold a meeting of all chief ministers and parties to evolve an action plan.

It is an unprecedented situation, Sharad Yadav said. The crisis,according to him,not only concerned farming and the farmers,but also birds and animals. Rivers are receding,ponds and wells are drying up and sowing has gone waste,he said,and asked the government to evolve a broad national consensus by taking everybody CMs,leaders of parties and agricultural experts on board.

Gopinath Munde (BJP) demanded a package for the rural poor and effective steps to check migration from the countryside. While Mulayam said famine should be declared,Acharia sought a contingency plan to cope with the emerging crisis.

It is a national issue, RJD chief Lalu Prasad Yadav said while cautioning members about mass unrest. He demanded a ban on export of foodgrains,meat and fish.

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Gurudas Dasgupta (CPI) said hoarders,anticipating a shortage,had hiked the prices of vegetables and other essential commodities. He favoured a meeting of chief ministers on the matter and faulted the government for keeping Parliament in the dark while the Prime Minister had met with Met department officials to discuss the issue. Nageshwar Rao (Telugu Desam) said it was surprising that the government had not yet announced any package for the farmers.

While the Opposition seized upon the opportunity to highlight the current crisis,the Congress floundered by fielding a new member,Anu Tandon. She drew protests when she called upon members to go to their constituencies,wondering what they were doing here. Tandon tried to carry on,but found herself overwhelmed in the din.