Cold vibes as winter session begins

Tribune News Service

New Delhi, December 15

The winter session of Parliament was off to a stormy start today with the Congress-led Opposition forcing three adjournments of Rajya Sabha over Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s “disparaging remarks” against predecessor Manmohan Singh.

Moments after Modi urged the Opposition for “constructive discussions”, the Opposition flagged his recent insinuations that Singh conspired with Pakistan to impact the Gujarat election. “We demand an apology from the PM,” Leader of Opposition in RS Ghulam Nabi Azad said even as House Chairperson M Venkaiah Naidu disallowed adjournment notices to discuss the matter.

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Parliamentary Affairs Minister Ananth Kumar clarified that the PM won’t apologise and in fact asked the Congress to say sorry for “secretly meeting Pakistan dignitaries on the eve of the Gujarat election”.

The government’s position set the tone for continuing uproar in Parliament, with the Opposition forcing Rajya Sabha to wrap up after three adjournments today.

Opposition MPs, led by SP’s Naresh Agarwal, were equally exercised about Naidu “illegally expelling” JD-U rebels Sharad Yadav and Ali Anwar from the Rajya Sabha.

The Lok Sabha, meanwhile, adjourned for the day after Modi introduced new members of his Council of Ministers and Speaker Sumitra Mahajan paid homage to departed members, besides introducing Usha Srivastava, the first woman LS Secretary General.

Earlier today, the PM said, “The government will bring many issues with far-reaching consequences. We expect a constructive session and innovative suggestions to enhance national good.”

He also spoke of the way global warming had affected seasons. “We still can’t feel the chill due to climate change and global warming but the winter session is starting. We hope it will prove productive for the country.

The LS Speaker earlier read out obituary references for sitting MPs Sultan Ahmed, Tasleemuddin and Chand Nath and ex-MPs Priyaranjan Dasmunsi, Vikram Mahajan, PC Burman, Amal Datta, Ram Singh, R Kishing and Dhanraj Singh.