Opposition sharpens attack on demonetisation

New Delhi: The Opposition on Thursday paralysed Parliament, with Rajya Sabha disrupted over demand for the presence of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and his response in the demonetisation debate, which the government rejected outright. Members of the opposition parties, led by Congress, created uproar in both the Rajya Sabha and the Lok Sabha as soon as the Houses met for the day and it continued throughout.

The Lok Sabha could carry out business only during the Question Hour, that too amid the uproar, after which it was adjourned for the day minutes past 12 pm.

The Rajya Sabha could not transact any business. In the Upper House, which witnessed about six-hour-long debate on demonetisation on Wed-nesday, the Congress and some other opposition parties pressed, from the word go, for the presence of Prime Minister Narendra Modi in the House and a response from him over the hardships caused to people by the November 8 decision to make '500 and '1,000 notes invalid.

AIADMK members, meanwhile, trooped into the Well and created uproar demanding that Karnataka release Cau-very water to Tamil Nadu. He said since the Prime Minister had made the demonetisation announ-cement, he should come to the House. The government later  rejected the demand for Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s response on the debate on demonetisation and accused the opposition of using it as an excuse to scuttle discussion on the issue in Parliament.

Information and broad-casting minister M. Venkaiah Naidu told reporters after Parl-iament was adjourned for the day, amid protests by opposition demanding Modi’s presence, that the reply to the debate would be given by the minister concerned or any other person on behalf of the government as per the rules of the House and precedents.

Dubbing the uproar by Congress and other opposition parties as an “excuse” to stall a debate, Naidu alleged that there is no rationale, whatsoever, behind it. He said things will happen as per the rules and procedures of the House and urged that the debate should go on.

CPM general secretary Sitaram Yechury alleged that Prime Minister is finding it “difficult” to answer queries of opposition MPs on demonetisation issue and, therefore, is “running away and hiding” from Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha.

“The Prime Minister came to Parliament, but could not reach either Rajya Sabha or Lok Sabha. The condition is such that the country’s Prime Minister is hiding and running away from Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha within the Parliament building.