Parliament failed to transact any business for the fourth day on Tuesday despite government’s efforts to break the logjam over FDI through an all-party meeting as the Left and the Right made a common cause by pressing for a debate under a rule that entails voting.
Both Houses witnessed the repeat of the scenes that have marred the Winter Session ever since it began on November 22.
The Rajya Sabha was adjourned for the day at noon after one adjournment during Question Hour, while the Lok Sabha witnessed two adjournments till 2 p.m. because of ruckus.
The impasse continued notwithstanding efforts by the government to ensure smooth functioning of Parliament by convening an all-party meeting yesterday over whether the FDI decision should be put to vote.
The meeting had seen SP and BSP providing comfort to the government by not insisting on voting. Trinamool Congress, which had given a notice for no-confidence motion last week over FDI issue, sprang a surprise by not pressing for vote.
The Lok Sabha today witnessed the Left and the AIADMK members carrying placards for discussion on FDI under Rule 184 which entails voting. While AIADMK members as also those of CPI stormed the Well, BJP members raised anti-FDI slogans.
UPA constituent DMK utilised the occasion to vociferously raise the issue of recent disclosures by a former CAG official in the 2G case to project itself in better light.
On the other hand, Trinamool Congress, the ally-turned-foe of UPA, sought to show the government as anti-poor.
Making a personal statement on his resignation, former Trinamool Congress minister Saugata Roy criticised the Congress-led coalition and said his party withdrew support to the government in the wake of hike in diesel prices, cap on LPG cylinders and the decision to allow 51 per cent FDI in multi-brand retail.
Mr Roy made some anti-government remarks and was heard saying his statement was “severely edited and revised” but P C Chacko, who was in the Chair, ruled that only the original statement would go on record.
DMK and 2G
Earlier, soon after Speaker Meira Kumar made obituary references to former members, DMK members were on their feet waving copies of newspaper reports on 2G spectrum allocation, which had led to resignation of their colleague A Raja as Telecom Minister.
Trinamool members rushed to the Well with banners seeking increase in the number of subsidised cylinders from six per year to 24.
Members of Left parties were in the aisle demanding discussion on FDI under Rule 184.
BJP members were on their feet chanting slogans ‘FDI Vapas Lo’ (roll back the decision of FDI in retail) and demanded a discussion on the issue under Rule 184.
Crime against women
The Speaker tried in vain to appeal to protesting members saying the first question listed was on ‘Crime Against Women’
Rajya Sabha plunged into chaos soon after it assembled for the day with senior BJP leader M Venkaiah Naidu raising the issue of FDI. He was joined by other party colleagues.
Some DMK members were seen in the aisle with newspaper clippings related to the 2G issue.
As Chairman Hamid Ansari’s repeated pleas for normalcy went unheeded, he adjourned the House till noon barely minutes after it met.
When the Upper House re-assembled, slogan shouting SP members trooped into the Well opposing any reservation for SCs/STs in government job promotions as demanded by BSP.
As they kept chanting “promotion mein arakshan, nahi chalega, nahi chalega” (no reservation in promotion), some members from the treasury bench, led by Praveen Rashtrapal (Cong), came to the aisle countering them.
Members of UPA ally DMK also rushed to the aisle with newspaper clippings on the issue of recent disclosures by a former CAG official in 2G case. The din lead to adjournment of the House for the day.
