Parliament fails to function yet again

Vibha Sharma & Ravi S Singh

Tribune News Service

New Delhi, December 9

It was a repeat of most days today, as Parliament witnessed repeated disruptions barring a few exceptions. The winter session takes a four-day break and reassembles on December 14.

The Lok Sabha saw Treasury Benches defeat Congress’ efforts to make vice-president Rahul Gandhi speak on demonetisation, despite an offer of a debate without condition of voting by the Opposition party — a climb down from its earlier demand for discussions under Rule 184 that entails voting. Outside the House, Rahul said if allowed to speak in Parliament, he could cause an “earthquake”.

In the RS, the Opposition again took on the government, but this time for its “anti-farmer decision” of completely scrapping the import duty on wheat. Angry Opposition parties alleged the move would benefit multinational firms to dump cheap wheat from the US, France and Ukraine and would harm Indian farmers.

Assertions by Food Minister Ram Vilas Paswan that there was no shortage of wheat and the decision had been taken keeping in mind the rising prices failed to impress the Opposition.

Minister of State for Agriculture Parsottambhai Rupala said the decision was necessitated as domestic prices were rising. The government uses market intervention to check prices. The decision on import duty would be reconsidered if farmers faced problems, Rupala said — an argument the Opposition refused to buy.

In the LS, the government held sway in the House, virtually ignoring the open challenge by the Opposition for a debate on demonetisation.

Turning down Congress’ Mallikarjun Kharge’s request to allow a debate under any Rule, Speaker Sumitra Mahajan said the Congress had not given notice for it.

The Opposition was determined to engage the government in a debate on demonetisation as Rahul, who outside the House accused the government of “running away from the debate”, had “come prepared” to speak today.

Parliamentary Affairs Minister Ananth Kumar said: “This is not a Congress adhiveshan (session) but Parliament, which functions as per the Rules. Just because Rahul wanted to speak, Congress believes that ‘sab kaam chorr ke Rahul Gandhi ko bulwa do’, it doesn’t happen this way,” he said.

Rahul warns of earthquake, BJP scoffs

If they allow me to speak in Parliament, you will see what an earthquake will occur. The PM only gives speeches across the country, but fears coming to Parliament. —Rahul Gandhi, cong v-p

May this quake happens when we are not present in Parliament…Rahul wants to debate before the media and in the market, but not in Parliament. —M Venkaiah Naidu, Union Minister