For the sixth consecutive working day, proceedings in both houses of Parliament were washed out, except for a short debate in Rajya Sabha today, as opposition parties continuously created ruckus persisting with the demand for presence of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and debate on demonetisation under a rule that entails voting.
The Rajya Sabha was adjourned again on Thursday in the post lunch session as opposition members insisted that Prime Minister Narendra Modi should sit through the whole debate.
A ruckus ensued even as Finance Minister Arun Jaitley assured the House that the Prime Minister will participate and speak during the debate, but the opposition did not relent.
The Lok Sabha was adjourned for the day as the opposition continued to disrupt the house with its demand for a debate under adjournment motion on the issue of demonetisation on Thursday. The House was first adjourned soon after it met at 11 a.m., and then for the day, shortly after 12 noon as opposition members continued to create ruckus.
In Rajya Sabha, as soon as the House met post lunch, Bahujan Samaj Party leader Mayawati, who was speaking when the House was adjourned, said she had requested Modi to sit through the debate in the post lunch sitting as well.
"Whole opposition requested the Prime Minister to sit through the debate. It is sad that he is not in the House after lunch," Mayawati said.
The BSP chief was supported by Communist party of India-Marxist (CPI-M) leader Sitaram Yechury and Leader of Opposition Ghulam Nabi Azad.
"We had said that if the Prime Minister is here for the debate the House will run, otherwise it will not run," Azad said.
Deputy Chairman P. J. Kurien however questioned how it was possible for the Prime Minister to be present all the time.
"I had this doubt and now it is confirmed that the opposition is trying to run away from debate and trying to find reasons for it... Continue the debate, Modi will participate as per the tradition. There is no tradition that the Prime Minister will sit through the whole debate," he said.
Azad, however, said that during the debate on 2G scam, then Prime Minister Manmohan Singh sat through the whole debate on the opposition's insistence.
As opposition members created a ruckus, the House was adjourned till 3 p.m.
The Upper House saw one adjournment soon after it met. However, when it assembled at 12 noon after the first adjournment, the debate on demonetisation was taken up as Prime Minister Narendra Modi was present in the House.
In Lok Sabha, shortly after the House met, opposition members trooped towards the Speaker's podium and shouted slogans against the demonetisation of high-value currency by the government.
The Speaker requested members to return to their seats but they refused.
Samajwadi Party leader Akshay Yadav hurled papers towards the reporters' table.
The House was adjourned till 12 noon.
When the House reassembled, the Speaker reprimanded Yadav for his conduct.
"This conduct is not proper on the part of the member and also for the dignity and prestige of the House," Speaker Sumitra Mahajan said.
Expressing her "displeasure", the Speaker warned Yadav to refrain from such activities in future.
Mahajan then disallowed the notices for adjourning the work of the House to debate demonetisation, creating a huge uproar in opposition benches.
The Speaker then adjourned the house for the day.
Highlights:
* Rajya Sabha adjourned till 3 PM after uproar by opposition on PM's absence
* Opposition creates uproar in Rajya Sabha over PM's absence
* What did opposition say while 2G? That PM will sit and he did so for two days. Now you cannot run away: Ghulam Nabi Azad in RS
* Opposition is devising ways to avoid the debate, these actions just prove it: Arun Jaitley in RS on opposition demanding PM's presence
* We were assured that PM will listen to us and answer us.: Ghulam Nabi Azad in RS on PM's absence
* Shashi Tharoor gives notice in Lok Sabha under rule of 377 on urgent public attention on Najeeb Ahmed missing case.
* Rajya Sabha adjourned till 2:01 pm
* Only 2% people hold black money, then why other 98% people are suffering due to demonetizaton: Derek O'Brien (TMC) in RS
* Demonetisation can't prevent black money, terror funding: Manmohan Singh
* GDP will take 2 per cent hit due to demonetisation: Manmohan Singh
* Demonetisation can't prevent black money, terror funding: Manmohan Singh
* Those who say demonetisation is good in the long run should recall quote "In the long run we are all dead: Former PM Manmohan Singh in Rajya Sabha
* I hope that PM will help us find practical ways to give relief to people suffering: Manmohan Singh
* Monumental mismanagement has been undertaken in implementation of demonetisation : Manmohan Singh in RS
* Cooperative banking sector which is serving large number in rural sector is not operational: Former PM Manmohan Singh in RS
* PM must come with some constructive proposal how we can implement the scheme: Manmohan Singh
* I want to ask PM that can he name any country where people have deposited their money but are not able to withdraw it: Manmohan Singh
* PM said wait for 50 days but for the poor section even 50 days can be detrimental: Manmohan Singh in RS
* 60-65 people have lost their lives, what has been done can weaken our people's confidence in currency and banking system: Manmohan Singh
* Important to take note of the grievances of the people suffering: Former PM Manmohan Singh
