Parliament’s session headed for washout

Parliament’s winter session – which ends today – is headed for a virtual washout as chaos reigned in both houses yesterday.Members of both the opposition and ruling parties indulged in recrimination over demonetisation, corruption and other issues.In the Lok Sabha, the lower house, the opposition pressed for a debate on demonetisation while the ruling MPs demanded a discussion on the AgustaWestland helicopter deal.The continued disruption in both houses angered veteran Bharatiya Janata Party leader and Lok Sabha member L K Advani, who said he felt like resigning as an MP because of the unending pandemonium.He asked Home Minister Rajnath Singh to convey to Speaker Sumitra Mahajan that she should ensure that the house functions today to discuss the November 8 demonetisation.In the Lok Sabha, both opposition and government sides shouted at each other as Mahajan warned the members against displaying newspapers in the house. She then adjourned the house till noon.The opposition accused BJP members of obstructing the debate.Telangana Rashtra Samithi leader A P Jithender Reddy said he should be allowed to speak as he had started the discussion on demonetisation under Rule 193.“Every party has a problem with the implementation of demonetisation... I was not allowed to speak,” Reddy said.Trinamool Congress leader Sudip Bandyopadhyay said: “There is one more day left before the end of the session. A discussion could have been initiated without any rules.”Parliamentary Affairs Minister H N Ananth Kumar raised the issue of the AgustaWestland VVIP helicopter deal and said the names of certain Congress leaders were re mentioned in middleman Christian Michel’s diary.This further irked the opposition members, leading to more chaos, following which the speaker adjourned the house for the day.Even after the Lok Sabha was adjourned, Advani remained seated while other members left.From the media gallery, Advani was heard telling Rajnath Singh to convey to the speaker that she should ensure the house runs today to discuss demonetisation.Advani was then joined by Trinamool Congress MP Idris Ali, who later told reporters he asked after the former deputy prime minister’s health, to which the latter quipped: “My health is fine but the health of parliament is not.”“I feel like resigning,” said Advani, his comments audible to those present in the media gallery.Idris then asked Advani about Vajpayee’s health. Advani replied: “He would have been very sad to see this.”“If the situation is the same on the last day as well, parliament will be slandered,” Advani said.“Such a thing has never happened in the House of Commons... adjourned for no reason. I feel ashamed,” he added.In the upper house Rajya Sabha, similar acrimonious scenes were witnessed. It was first adjourned till noon amid chaos, minutes after it re-assembled following a four-day break.Soon after the house met, the Chair allowed Leader of Opposition Ghulam Nabi Azad to speak but members from the treasury benches did not let him.“This should also go on record that in both houses, it is the ruling party (BJP) that is not allowing any work,” Azad said, adding that it was happening for the “first time in the history of India”.Deputy Chairman P J Kurien kept on urging protesting members to maintain peace but his pleas went unheeded.“Why should both sides create problem? I don’t know,” he said and adjourned the house till noon.Later, the house was adjourned for 30 minutes and then again till 2pm. It was finally adjourned for the day after 2pm as the opposition members demanded a debate on demonetisation and the plight of farmers while those on the treasury benches sought a debate on the AgustaWestland chopper deal.