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Government’s efforts to avert a confrontation in Parliament today came to a naught with the Opposition pressing for adjournment motions on price rise and black money, paralysing the Winter Session for the second day.
No work was transacted in the Lok Sabha and the Rajya Sabha as uproar was also witnessed on other issues including, separate Telangana, leading to their adjournment for the day.
Added to the Opposition uproar were protests by two key UPA allies — DMK and NCP. While DMK members in the Lower House stormed the well in protest against a film allegedly showing havoc caused by destruction of a dam in South India, NCP members raised the issue of restrictions on onion exports by displaying placards.
The two Houses were earlier adjourned till noon soon after assembling for the day as several members, including those from the Left, stormed the well.
In the Rajya Sabha, BSP members also trooped into the well in support of the Left members, shouting slogans against price rise.
BJP members, however, did not go into the well and kept pressing for admission of their adjournment motion on black money from their seats.
Only yesterday, the Prime Minister, Dr Manmohan Singh, had urged political parties to work together to push forward the development agenda for the country and government managers were hopeful of smooth proceedings in Parliament today.
The last session of Parliament could not transact much business despite heavy government agenda. The Winter session last year was a washout over the Opposition demand for a JPC probe into the 2G scam.
In the Rajya Sabha, almost the entire Opposition stood as one demanding discussion on issues like price rise, black money and plight of contract labourers.
BJP members, Mr Rudra Narayan Pany and Mr Prakash Javadekar, demanded discussion on the government’s labour policies during the Zero Hour saying lakhs of workers are being deprived of social security schemes like provident fund, ESI health benefit and insurance.
Later, Left, BSP and SP members trooped into the well in support of their demands.
Amid the din, the Chair asked the minister to lay papers listed against their name. The Finance Minister, Mr Pranab Mukherjee, laid a paper on price rise, while the Law Minister, Mr Salman Khurshid, moved a motion for election to select a committee on the Wakf (Amendment) Bill, 2010.
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