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Govt, Oppn spar over Parl washout

NEW DELHI: The Lok Sabha was on Friday adjourned sine die with the House unable to take up notices for the no-confidence motion against the government and bringing to close a tumultuous Budget session that witnessed repeated disruptions.
The Rajya Sabha has also adjourned sine die on Friday, bringing to an end the Budget session that was marked by continuous disruptions.
Moments after both houses of parliament ended in a clatter of protests, members of the ruling BJP-led coalition and the opposition Congress took their fight outside.
Lawmakers of the BJP, including ministers, and those of the Congress, stood facing each other at the Gandhi statue with placards, each side trying to out-shout the other side.
Accusing the Congress of taking parliamentary proceedings "to a new low" with its conduct, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday announced a fast by BJP MPs on April 12 to protest the impasse "caused" by the opposition party in Parliament, which saw a washout of the second half of the Budget Session.
Addressing BJP MPs on the party's foundation day, Modi kept the Congress in his line of fire and spelt out an exercise by party lawmakers and ministers for reaching out to villages with substantial Dalit and tribal population through implementation of his government's seven key welfare schemes.
Briefing reporters on the parliamentary party meeting, Union minister Ananth Kumar quoted the prime minister as saying that while the BJP's strength has been rising, the opposition, especially the Congress, has resorted to "divisive and negative" politics.
In a vigorous counter-offensive, the Congress on Friday said its workers would hold a day-long fast at all state and district headquarters on April 9 to expose the BJP's "lies" on various issues, after Prime Minister Narendra Modi announced a fast by BJP MPs on April 12 to protest the impasse in Parliament for which he blamed the opposition party.
Hitting back at the BJP, the Congress said it was the government which was responsible for not letting Parliament function and termed as a "gimmick" and "drama" the move by NDA MPs to forgo their salary for 23 days when Parliament did not function.
In a first, Congress leaders stayed away from tea hosted by Lok Sabha Speaker Sumitra Mahajan on Friday morning, protesting against the way the disruptions in the house were handled.
Unabated protests virtually washed out a tumultuous Budget Session that saw a total of nearly 250 working hours wasted.
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