Oppn to meet today to draft Parl strategy
14 Dec 2016 11:10 PM GMT
Opposition parties will meet on Wednesday to decide their strategy in Parliament as the government has expressed readiness for a debate on demonetisation and the Congress has issued a whip to its MPs to be present in both Houses.
Ahead of an impending stormy session, Congress on Tuesday also issued a three line whip to its MPs in both Houses of Parliament asking them to be present.
Congress leader Jyotiraditya Scindia sought to put the ball in the government’s court saying that the opposition was ready for discussion last week itself when members of the ruling party disrupted proceedings.
He said opposition parties would be meeting on Wednesday morning to chalk out its future strategy.
“We were ready for discussion last week, but treasury benches disrupted the House and forced its adjournment. The opposition parties will meet on Wednesday morning to decide future strategy,” Scindia said. Sources said government has not approached the opposition so far during the four-day long weekend break, but has expressed readiness on the debate on demonetisation.
Finance Minister Arun Jaitley said government is ready for a debate on the demonetisation issue in Parliament and urged the Congress and other opposition parties to “rise above slogans and look at the positive advantages ...” .
“Therefore, from national perspective, I would appeal to the opposition to join this campaign rather than create obstruction and fail to understand what the real purpose and the import of this campaign really is,” he said.
I&B Minister M Venkaiah Naidu said Prime Minister will be present in Parliament for the remaining three days of the winter session and accused the Opposition of “changing goalpost” to disrupt functioning of both the Houses.
“The Prime Minister, except when he was out, is in Parliament every day. He is the first man to come to the Parliament and the last man to go. He is sitting in his room and watching all that is happening. As and when there is a request, he comes to the House,” Naidu said.
When asked specifically if the Prime Minister will be present in Parliament for the next three days, Naidu said,” He will be.”
An end to the ongoing impasse in Parliament remains elusive as it meets on Wednesday after a break of four days despite the government again urging the Opposition to start a debate on demonetisation, insisting that it is ready for a discussion.
Both, the government as well as the Opposition, especially Congress and TMC, have stuck to their guns on the terms of a debate with BJP’s rivals demanding discussion under a rule that entails voting and treasury benches ruling it out.
PM to be present in Parl over next 3 days: Naidu
Union Minister M Venkaiah Naidu on Tuesday said Prime Minister Narendra Modi will be present in Parliament for the remaining three days of the winter session and accused the Opposition of “changing goalpost” to disrupt functioning of both the Houses.
“The Prime Minister, except when he was out, is in Parliament every day. He is the first man to come to the Parliament and the last man to go. He is sitting in his room and watching all that is happening. As and when there is a request, he comes to the House,” Naidu said. When asked specifically if the Prime Minister will be present in Parliament for the next three days, he said,” He will be.”
Naidu’s remarks come in the background of Opposition’s demand for Modi’s presence in the House during the debate on demonetisation and discussion under a rule which entails voting. The winter session of the Parliament has witnessed almost complete washout since it began on November 16. It will resume on Wednesday and conclude on December 16.
Stressing that the government wants to have a debate on the demonetisation issue, Naidu accused the Opposition of “changing goalpost”, saying the Speaker had allowed the discussion under rule 193 and now it is being disrupted by the Congress-led Opposition.
After the discussion started, the Opposition realised that they “don’t have anything to say” and suddenly started demanding that Prime Minister be present in the House.
“You want Prime Minister to come to House and listen to all the abuses. Who are they (Opposition) to decide and dictate. There is rule 193 and the speaker has already accepted (a debate under it),” he said.
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