The Hindu : Front Page : Opposition stalls work in Parliament

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Friday, Nov 25, 2005

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Opposition stalls work in Parliament

Special Correspondent

``Sonia, Natwar should quit''

NEW DELHI: Demanding the resignation of Sonia Gandhi as chairperson of the United Progressive Alliance and Natwar Singh from the Union Council of Ministers, the Opposition on Thursday forced the adjournment of both Houses of Parliament over the Volcker Committee Report. Though the issue was listed for discussion in the Lok Sabha, the Opposition said it would not relent until they resigned.

The issue came up as soon as the proceedings began and saw adjournments before the presiding officers decided to call it a day in the face of an unrelenting Opposition, which wanted question hour suspended.

In the Lok Sabha, Speaker Somnath Chatterjee allowed Bharatiya Janata Party deputy leader V.K. Malhotra to refer to his notice for suspension of question hour. But he refused to allow it as the matter was listed for discussion immediately afterwards.

Much of what transpired was lost in the din that followed. Parliamentary Affairs Minister Priyaranjan Dasmunsi objected to Mr. Malhotra digressing from his notice as the BJP leader took the names of Ms. Gandhi and Mr. Singh in his intervention. In the notice submitted by Mr. Malhotra and Santosh Gangwar , no names were mentioned.

As Opposition members trooped into the well, the Speaker adjourned the House for 20 minutes. But within minutes of its meeting again, he called it a day as the Opposition said the "House will not function till they resign" despite Mr. Dasmunsi asking, "Why don't you want a discussion, we are ready?"

Mr. Chatterjee said: "Since many Opposition members are determined not to let the House run, I am adjourning the House for the day."

While Ms. Gandhi was present in the House through it all, Mr. Singh — whose continuance as Minister without Portfolio was questioned by the Opposition — did not attend.

In the Rajya Sabha, Leader of the Opposition Jaswant Singh demanded a discussion on the Volcker Report and a CBI probe. Replying, Minister of State for Parliamentary Affairs Suresh Pachauri said the Government was ready for a discussion in whatever form allowed by the Chair but objected to suspension of question hour without notice .

Chairman Bhairon Singh Shekhawat said the Opposition had raised several sensitive issues and he would have to examine their admissibility. But the Opposition members stood up and started raising slogans. The noisy scenes continued for 15 minutes, resulting in an adjournment for 45 minutes. The situation was no better when the House reassembled with Deputy Chairman K. Rahman Khan in the Chair. The BJP members again indulged in sloganeering, forcing Mr. Khan to adjourn it.

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